There is a lesson to be learned
by LeAnn Stone
She was preparing me in that time, but, I did not know it then. One Friday afternoon, while I was visiting her, she stood up with the help of a nurse.....something she hadn't done in three months. She looked stronger, spoke stronger and I was relieved. I left with good spirits that afternoon and returned home to attend to things there before I made the trip back. That afternoon, I received a call that she was being transported to hospice. I could not believe it, didn't want to believe it. Mom had made up her mind. Her sickness had ravaged all her organs and she decided it was time to let go. I think she struggled at times with the decision, but, she looked death square in the face. The experience of her dying was amazing and I feel very blessed to have gone on the journey with her to her end on this earth. She was the funniest I had ever seen her and she had all the details of what needed to be done in a row. But, one very special night, as I was laying on a fold out couch, she was getting attention from the nurse and she said, "Where is my daughter? There is a lesson to be learned here!" I said, "I am right here Mom, what is it?" All she said was "Seven o'clock"...."Never mind, you won't know what this means yet!" and drifted back to sleep. I have to tell you the next few days at 7:ooam and 7:00p.m., I was waiting for something to happen, but, it never did. The next night she asked me to lay in bed with her and we cried and we laughed so hard that the rest of the family that were outside the room thought I was wailing of her passing. I will never forget that moment as we lay hugging each other. I could never sleep until the night that all my Brothers and Sisters stayed in the room with me one night. I slept like a baby and at 2:00 was awakened by her silence. She had passed and it was amazing......every wrinkle in her face was gone and she looked just like her wedding picture......she was meeting Dad....someone she missed so very much. She died a little after 2:00a.m. We all waited for the funeral home and we left that hospice unit......after 12 days of hoping this wasn't so. I had a 3 hour drive west and I also needed to drop an older Sister off in a town along the way. I was dreading what I needed to do next.....go to Mom's house. As I neared the turn-off....I was sobbing.....I couldn't quit. I stopped the car to get myself together when I noticed to the East the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen! There wasn't a cloud in the sky. I drove a bit further when I noticed something else in the sky to the East. It was a cloud formation that looked exactly like a dove wing and straight North of it was a cloud formation in the form of a cross. I was dumbfounded. I called my Sister...who was already in bed. I told her she needed to get up, go outside and look to the East and tell me what she saw. I thought I was losing it....for real! She grabbed her phone, went outside and she yelled....Oh my God.......it is beautiful. I asked...what do you see? She said a perfect dove wing and a cross! We grew quiet. I asked her what time is it? She stated............seven o'clock..............and we cried. Mom had made her journey! It was a lesson to be learned!
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