Loving someone unconditionally means not judging them. Losing my brother, first to his addiction and then to his death, gave me a better understanding of the commandment to love one another. By judging, I have only robbed myself of precious time with Him here on earth. It was 3 a.m. and my cell phone was vibrating. I've never turned it off completely in an emergency. As I slowly come out of a deep sleep, I question what I'm hearing. I then became more aware of my surroundings and started to panic when I reached for my phone because the caller ID said "Mom-Cell Phone." I answered and said, “Mom? My mother was crying hysterically and kept saying, “He’s gone, he’s gone.” At this point I thought she was referring to my dad, but then she said, “Todd is gone, he died in his sleep.” I will never forget these words from a loving mother who has just lost her son. Her heartbreaking cry pierced my heart as I tried to comfort her. Is it real? I asked myself this question again and again. Is he really gone? As the morning progressed, I functioned under what seemed like a spell. I informed my employer, canceled a work trip, and met up with my siblings to drive the 3 hours home to be with my parents. We cried when we realized our brother was really gone. We talked about our memories with him, how he made us laugh and how he made us cry. He didn't make us cry because he was mean. We cried because he was a drug addict. Todd's addiction began after he returned early from his church mission because of knee pain. He underwent a knee replacement and was immediately prescribed narcotics to relieve the pain. I had no idea the upheaval this would cause in his life. Over the years, his addiction... middle of paper ... his father saw him, had compassion, ran, fell on his neck and kissed him.” This parable is not about wasted money but about a dear son who is lost. Through this parable, Christ taught us how to respond when a family member goes astray. I am grateful that Todd always loved me and welcomed me with open arms even though I was lost and consumed by anger and resentment. Because of his death, I will be forever touched. Because he was the one who loved unconditionally. He was the one who sympathized with my pain. It was he who forgave me. This tragic experience of loss has made me appreciate the time I spend with my family more. I never leave someone’s presence or end a phone call without saying, “I love you.” I am now quicker to love and compliment than to judge because I never want to feel that pit in my stomach again, that pit we call guilt...