When my mother died, it was after a long period of suffering and weakening. The hospice workers gave us a booklet to understand the dying process and it contained a poem by Henry Van Dyke in which it metaphorically compared the lengthy dying process to a journey by a ship that launches from our shore and gets smaller and smaller in the distance until it is gone from our sight. It is not that the ship is gone, it has simply sailed to another shore. Some have a stormy journey. Some, like my sister-in-law, were transported in a speed boat instead of a sailing ship.
She breathed her last at 7:30 Monday morning, January 2 as her oldest son was at her side and the rest nearby. My tribute to her can be read by clicking here. Though she didn't hear what I wrote, her family has chosen to print it in the memorial program. I am grateful I found the words.
To whom do you need to give a kind word of appreciation? Do it now.
How special that they are going to read it at the memorial service. Wow.
ReplyDelete