See You Later

Yesterday, May 4th, 2010, this world lost an angel living on it's soil. My dear Grandmother died after a battle with cancer. I got the news yesterday around lunch time from my sister who was there when Grandma slipped this mortal realm and returned to be with her family and friends on the other side of the veil.

Words can't express the feelings that I have for this woman who was more than a grandmother to me. The love she had for her family and friends was beyond that of any that I know of. She insisted on holding family functions at her house every Thanksgiving and Christmas eves, regardless of the requests to move it somewhere we could spread out a little. I think she loved the noise of the great prosperity that she leaves behind. I loved taking off from work early on those days and riding the bus down to her house to help her and Grandpa arrange the tables and getting the places set. We always had time to sit and talk on those occasions and I would selfishly call it my special time.

I will, as will most of my friends, remember the toast we would go get whenever we felt the need. It seemed she always had a loaf of bread ready just in case we came in from our running around to grab some. Her hugs were awesome and the little whispers in my ear that she loved me were always a great comfort and helped me move on during some hard times in my life.

I will ever be grateful for her and the blessing of the testimony that she held. The testimony that she ever so willingly shared with me of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I think back often of times when I sat by her in sacrament meeting and would find little candies in her purse that I could eat during that meeting. The simple lessons of tithing and the importance of the scriptures and the temple that she would share with me just here and there. Her love of the temple was an inspiration to me and gave me a desire to enter that building. I feel that the man that I have become is due in part to this wonderful daughter of God.

Here is the lyrics to one of my favorite songs that seem to take on a new meaning with the passing of a loved one:

In the quiet misty morning

When the moon has gone to bed,

When the sparrows stop their singing

And the sky is clear and red,

When the summer's ceased its gleaming

When the corn is past its prime

When adventure's lost its meaning - 

I'll be homeward bound in time

Bind me not to the pasture

Chain me not to the plow

Set me free to find my calling

And I'll return to you somehow

If you find it's me you're missing

If you're hoping I'll return,

To your thoughts I'll soon be listening,

In the road I'll stop and turn

Then the wind will set me racing

As my journey nears its end

And the path I'll be tracing

When I'm homeward bound again

Bind me not to the pasture

Chain me not to the plow

Set me free to find my calling

And I'll return to you somehow

My daughter, Bree, said with a little hmph, on her way to school after we found out yesterday, "It's not fair.", and when my wife replied, "What's not fair?"  Bree said "Grandma gets to be with Heavenly Father now.". To that my little Bree, it is fair and well earned. Because of the things that Grandma helped me to learn I know I don't have to say "Goodbye" I get to say "See you later!".