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"Sometimes the answer comes in a flash and sometimes it takes awhile." 3/21/11  c anne ford

Tom,

Hello to you. 

Is your mother still here? 

 

I've always heard that to go to Heaven is to go to a place where we are free of the pain and of the suffering of the world.  It always sounded like when, after a really long day of work, you close your eyes and go into a good sleep.  I hear it called laying down your burdens and being with the Lord.   The idea is that your work on Earth is finished and now you rest.

I wasn't able to see my great aunt before she died. It bothered me for a long time that I didn't.  Sitting here thinking about your situation it's made me realize why. 

This is my prayer to God. I'm praying and typing at the same time.

Dear God,

Thank you that you led me to Tom.

 

First, I hope that you will not only bring Peace to his mother but you will also bring Peace to him.

You and I have been talking (praying) to each other for  along time and through alot of sadness. You've been the faithful friend. Wheither I thanked you for letting me be with the people I loved  or when I yelled at you wanting to know why you would take them, you listened. Like a good friend you comforted me. Never once did you turn your back or say I'm too busy to listen. And today, though Tom,  I finally heard about Elsie. I was lucky to have known her and now I rejoice that she sits in Heaven with you. You know full well I didn't alway think that was a good idea. I missed her and it hurt.   Now I know it's up to me to remember all the things that she taught me while she was here on Earth.  She taught me how to grow old gracefully and full of life.

Even when things weren't so good.  Thank you so much for letting me be in her life.

Tom,  I didn't get to see her when she died.  Didn't get to see my grandfather or grandmother when they died. Didn't get to see a good friend  when he died.   This always bothered me so much.  Now, thanks to you,  I know how to get past that pain.  Instead of mouring their loss, I'm going to remember the lessons they taught me here on Earth.  I'm going to try my best to be grateful that I was lucky enough to have known them.

Thanks to you here's what I'm going to remember.

My great aunt, sitting in a hospital bed with her new hip replacement being  chipper as a happy bird.  I asked her if she was in pain? How could she be so happy?  Her lesson was to find the happy in the world no matter what.   Do not define yourself as your age on that birth certificateor the situation that you find yourself in.  Define yourself as how you feel in your heart.  If you don't like what's in your heart? Good news is that you can always change.

My grandfather's lesson was that it was important to be honest in your dealings. He said that the most important thing a person could have in their life was their good word. He told me the story about the lady at the bank. How he could have lied but didn't.  I later told that story to my son who later told the lady at the state park as he handed over the rocks he picked up asking, "Is it okay to take these?" 

My friend said that life was too important to waste time on things that you didn't believe in your heart was good to do. Even if you don't make a million or everyone else says, "Impossible."  You can do it. Making money isn't the only thing.

My father says that you can move mountains if you work at it long enough.  And he said that he loves me.  He also said, "Yes, you can teach your son to read."   So I did.

WB and Pup says, "We love you. Always.We're glad that you are here. We are a family. "  Simes like a simple thing that a person shouldn't have to say but it's not something that a rich person can buy.  It's something that happens.   They also taught me that family is in the heart not just on the birth certificate.

And my grandmother? She said what I tell my own son now, " You know where the key is, There's a warm bed and food in the kitchen. We'll leave the porch light on for you.

And Tom taught me to remember. Thanks,

Hugs,

C Ford

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