I Will See You Again

I watched the sun come up today, like a fire ball cresting the clouds, and forcing its way higher and higher.  No picture could do it justice.  It became a whisper behind the clouds as it lightened the Earth.  Today is your day.  Today you are free.  No more illness, no more discomfort.  You will no longer feel chill, only warmth.  Today is our day to feel sadness while you feel a whole new love.  Today your soul will be filled with the love of the Lord you worshiped your whole life.  He will open his arms to you, and take you in.  This is your day of glory.

May today be a day of reunion for you.  I hope you will hug all of our loved ones who greeted you today to welcome you into peace.  For 95 years, you have dedicated yourself to your husband, your children, to your grand children, your great and great-great grand children.  Today, we dedicate ourselves to you.   We open our hearts and our memories and smile with love and gratitude for your life and for the part you had in ours.  We weep tears that are bitter sweet, knowing you are safe and warm while we are struggling with the space that lingers where you were. 

Every one of us has stories, and memories.  Everyone will come together to celebrate your life, and what a life it was.  Every one of us will shed a tear.  You read from a great book that tells us this:

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."                    Revelation 21:4 

This is true for us today.  Our order of things, too, has passed away.  Today we must move forward from what was and continue on with what is.   Without you here on Earth, many of us would not have our families that we hold so dear, we would not have each other, and we would not know the value of family that was ingrained to every single one of us.  From you we have learned where we come from, who we are, who we want to be. 

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free!
I follow the plan God laid for me.
I saw His face, I heard His call,
I took His hand and left it all...
I could not stay another day,
To love, to laugh, to work or play;
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
And if my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss...
Ah yes, these things I, too, shall miss.
My life's been full, I've savoured much:
Good times, good friends, a loved-one's touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief—
Don't shorten yours with undue grief.
Be not burdened with tears of sorrow,
Enjoy the sunshine of the morrow.

Grandma, I say to you today, and to all of us that will miss you, “Turn your face towards the sun, and let the shadows fall behind. Be renewed, and feel peace.”