Part 2 - "Those Precious Moments"

Part 2--
Those Precious Moments...

Abruptly and quite sternly, Grandma's rarely seen radical personality ordered, You've got work to do and you must be strong. The blazed look in her recessed eyes was sharper than sharp. I had absolutely no idea what she meant by work but I felt my mouth mumble... "Yes Mame, I'll be strong." Instantly relieved, Grandma slumped back on her bed with a thud sound, gasped for air and smiled her famous 'Grand Canyon' smile. Still clutching her hands, I noticed her lucid eyes seemed to be fixed on something up above, just beyond my right shoulder. I thought she'd gone on home. In the voice which was not her own, Mame's lips mimicked, "You're gonna' need to take good care of your mother baby." Her words echoed off the walls of our windy cocoon. Grandma was still looking up at... something. A mysterious, firm thrust which pushed against my right cheek, kept me from turning to see Grandma's... something.

My heart, suspended in time, seemed to drop to the floor. My ears were ringing, I could not breathe. Sensing my anxiety, her reassuring grip tightened, all the while giving an approving nod to her private vision. With a supreme understanding, Mame turned her gaze in my direction and whispered, "He says you're the one. You're the truth Devorah. Now promise me you'll take good care of your mother. She's going to need you to watch over her." My promise to Mame was made through another huge lump in my throat. Crocodile tears cascading down my face blended with a lightheaded feeling. My Grandmother's last words to me were, "Precious, I need to go home. Nae Nae, I'm coming." I don't know if she heard me say, "It's okay Mame, it's okay. Your new home is beautiful."

The cocoon's imposing presence was no longer threatening-- for I understood. Clinging to Grandma's pink lace nightgown, I buried my face in her side and tried to breathe her as deeply as I could. Her grip was no more. Her breathing, shallow and steady. Grandma was at peace. Acknowledging the inevitable, I kissed Mame's forehead and felt God blow his breath on me from her lips. I smelled her Brach's peppermint candy breath, fresh ocean air and the faint scent of her Charles of the Ritz perfume she always wore. I hugged my Queen Esther's warm and fragile body as if there was no tomorrow. Her soul was ready to move onward. She'd done His work quite royally. Now, it was time for me to do mine.

Again, I found myself sitting immobilized in the chair across from the foot of Mame's bed. I honestly don't remember how I got there. Counting to the rhythm of her chest rising up and down, I thanked God for letting my Grandma continue to breathe. Light from the parking lot illuminated her silvery hair and gentle face. The night sky was darker than black, almost blue-black. I wondered, where were the stars? There were none in His sky. The shrill of a distant train whistle jolted me and suddenly, I had the presence of mind to remember my family waiting out in the car. But selfishly, I continued to watch my Grandma breathe and hoped they'd understand my delay. The once bothersome I.V. tubes in her left hand didn't seem to matter any longer. The Queen's hands lay matter-of-factly across her chest.

Above Mame's headboard appeared a soft white glow, which took on the shape of an angel's wingspan. Without a doubt, Mame's angels were watching over her. Amplified sounds and crystal-clear images of Grandma's homecoming mirrored before me. Flocks of Jekyll Island sea gulls, prancing through stilted foliage, were drowned out by the sound of a big-band orchestra. Oversized, 'Lawrence Welk' bubbles, painted in vivid purple, blue and green, invaded our cocoon. The smell of Mame's old-fashion, one-stick-of-butter pound cake, quickened a vivid picture of Grandma in her mint green kitchen. Smiling at sleeping beauty, I made the sign of the cross on my forehead, just like she did to me when I was a little girl. As my heart decided to let Mame go to God-- poof ... the silky cocoon evaporated. I took a deep breath and blew her one last kiss in the air. Grandma was ready to go home and I was finally a peace.

At approximately 10:30pm, I closed the hospital door of my Grandmother's earthly life. Her sisters Ruth and Naomi (caterers extraordinaire) were probably already up in Heaven, preparing a huge gala event to receive Mame at her homecoming. And, there was no doubt in my mind, that her big brother, Allan (a New York syndicated columnist) was arranging front page press coverage in The Heavenly Times. Pausing to get one last look at my noble Grandma, I left the hospital room door slightly ajar. The hallway was dimly lit but even this small amount of light was too bright for me. I had to shield my eyes and adjust to being back in the real world. I turned and walked away with an impressive, resurrected level of boldness and newfound awareness

*****

The hour-and-a-half-long drive back home to Tallahassee seemed to take no time at all. The late night sky was amazingly beautiful. Now there appeared a galaxy of twinkling stars ...up above the world so high... like a diamond in the sky. Grandma's piano played her favorite lullaby in my head. The crickets in the night and Mr. Hoot Owl joined her trio. I wondered to myself, where in the world was this unexplained, all-of-a-sudden, heightened sense of sight and sound coming from? Had God's purification done something special to me?

I don't remember arriving back home in Tallahassee or of even getting dressed for bed that night. Sitting alone in the dark, I fell in love with real peace and quiet. Much needed sleep finally took over-- but with a start, I awakened. I was sitting up in bed with my hands folded aimlessly across my lap the same way I remember last seeing Grandma's hands. Again, from somewhere in the not-so-distant area, the same familiar train whistle collided with the big-band orchestra. Across the room over the bedroom dresser mirror, the same glow of light formed a delicate angel's wingspan, just long enough for me to say goodbye to Grandma one last time. I felt something pulling at my heart as the wings floated out through the bedroom window. Behind Mame's angels, a single star trailed like a whimsical kite, to which my sleepy cheeks turned into a knowing grin. Grandma was making her way home. Bright red numbers on the bedroom clock, burst through to the ceiling and brought me out of my farewell daze.

Sure enough, Grandma's unending wisdom, once again revealed itself. There had been 'no need for our family to come back tomorrow.' Grandma's words, uttered only hours ago, lilted in my head as I stood in the doorway of hospital room 407. I could only chuckle and shake my head at the vision I had of Queen Esther, wearing her favorite white cowboy pantsuit, hangin' up in Heaven with God and all of His archangels.

Through His Almighty power, He had transferred from Grandma's soul and embodied into my soul, an unshakable level of strength, grace, insight, wisdom and spirituality. Today, I walk in boldness, step-by-step with resilience from thine enemies and assured in the complete confidence that, He divinely protects me. So, get ready world Here comes Esther's first-born grandchild, walking His path to fight injustice and to speak up for the people who can't speak up for themselves.

Psst! Are YOU blessed to know what God wants for YOUR life?