08 January 2006

Ashes to ashes

After the weekend I've had, I probably have enough to blog for months.

My friend's mom is at rest. She chose to die (I firmly believe this, and so does her daughter) on her wedding anniversary.

How fitting: Her husband died years ago, while we were in college. I know she missed him; I know she loved him. But she knew her kids needed her. She grieved. She also moved on. She was there to help her youngest graduate from high school.

She helped her daughters get started in careers, support them when they found spouses. She did the same for her son when he was of an age to do the same.

She hung on, after a bleak diagnosis. She saw not two, but three grandbabies born; I had no idea the little boy I remembered had a child of his own, but at the wake, there he was, a precious new baby who his grandmother was able to hold before she died.

She held onto her children, their lives, until she was sure they didn't need her any longer.

Then she let go.

In life, she was a great example. In death, she was the same. She lived with her illness with dignity. She died on a day to follow her lifelong love into eternity.

May God grant us the same grace.

More blogging on this in the days to come. Truly, I learned a lot this weekend, about death, yes; but also about life.

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