Not long after they were married, Donna told Glenn that she was ready to have children.  Glenn was content to wait a while.  They didn’t wait long.  Russell was born in October 1983.  Matthew came along about 3 years later.  The boys were the center of their world… until the boys got married and grandchildren came into the picture!  Donna and Glenn became “Nonna” and “PawPaw.”  Nonna and PawPaw were actively involved in the lives of their five grandchildren – attending their ball games, band concerts, birthday parties, and any other activities.

In 2012, Donna began to experience some trouble with her memory.  Her condition grew worse over time.  A doctor at UAB rendered the diagnosis earlier this year: Lewy body dementia.  The disease had adverse affects on Donna that worsened.  She still loved deeply and strove to be involved in the lives of her family and friends, but she became more dependent on others for help.  She leaned on her loving husband.

Their daughter-in-law, Heather, was watching.  “Nonna loved PawPaw and how I saw that love in her eyes as he took care of her for the last years of her life.  She was the one that took charge and took care of her family until she got sick.  PawPaw learned to be a caretaker and never complained.  He cooked, cleaned, made sure she had what she needed, bought all of the presents for holidays and birthdays, and had Nonna at all of the kids’ events and to all of her appointments.  When they came to watch the kids play sports, her hand was in his and he helped make sure she stayed steady, even when the walks were long and the days were hot or rainy.  He was patient with her.  To me, that is the definition of love: to care for and love someone else when they can give you nothing in return.”

Donna Cazalas Bell passed from this life on June 5, 2021.  She leaves behind a legacy of love: love that she demonstrated to her family, friends, and all that she encountered as well as love that was reciprocated to her in many tangible and thoughtful ways by her loving husband and all who knew her.

Real love involves feelings, but it is so much more.  Real love is actively caring for someone even when they can no longer return that love in the same vibrant way.

That’s how God loves us.  We couldn’t “do” for ourselves.  In fact, we made a lot of mistakes that put our souls in jeopardy.  We were lost in our sins.

But God loves us anyway.  He demonstrated His love by giving His one and only Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).  He did for us what we could not do for ourselves: He provided the means for our salvation.

Remember this definition of love: “to care for and love someone else when they can give you nothing in return.”  Glenn and Donna Bell demonstrated that kind of love.  It reflects the love that God has for you and me.  Let’s love others that way, too.

-- David A. Sargent