. . . But perhaps you long to hear
your husband's words, and enjoy the affection which you bestowed upon him, and
you yearn for his society, and the glory which you had on his account, and the
splendour, and honour, and security, and all these things being gone distress
and darken your life. Well! The affection which you be stowed on him you can
keep now just as you formerly did.
For such is the power of love, it
embraces, and unites, and fastens together not only those who are present, and
near, and visible but also those who are far distant; and neither length of
time, nor separation in space, nor anything else of that kind can break up and
sunder in pieces the affection of the soul. But if you wish to behold him face
to face (for this I know is what you specially long for) keep your bed in his
honour sacred from the touch of any other man, and do your best to manifest a
life like his, and then assuredly you shall depart one day to join the same
company with him, not to dwell with him for five years as you did here, nor for
20, or 100, nor for a thousand or twice that number but for infinite and
endless ages. (John Chrysostom, Letter to a Young Widow,
3)
