We returned home yesterday, after spending the weekend in Florida for my grandmother's funeral. The funeral and graveside service were emotionally tough. But, I feel like her life was definitely more celebrated than anything else. And, I know that she would have wanted it that way.
I had always dreaded the day of hearing when one of my grandmothers passed away. If the thought came into my mind, I pushed it away. But, when my grandmother died last Tuesday; I had a peace about it. I think most of the family did; because she had lingered on for almost a year. You see, it was almost a full year ago, when things went downhill for her. No one was prepared for her to leave us then. But, she survived, and was even sent home from a hospice facility. How odd that was! She lived the last year of her life in the home of my aunt and uncle, in their care, full-time. During the end, she was really only coherent about an hour a day. The morning she passed away, she had spent the entire previous night mumbling to herself. And, finally fell asleep at 4:30am in the morning. She died in her sleep, sometime between 4:30-7:00am. I wonder what she was mumbling? I think she might have been preparing herself to die. How scary, but remarkable too.
My cousin read the following poem as part of the eulogy. I believe it sums up our feelings quite perfectly.
At a funeral, all the family and friends that are there are paying respects, consoling each other, and are sad because they are missing the person that has just passed away. But, there in Heaven is the same number of people, crowding the gates and saying excitedly, “Here she comes! Here she comes!” Those people are the ones that are going to welcome Grandma and can’t wait to see her again! When we die, Grandma will be one of those people waiting for each of us. She will be excited to see us again!
