"One Last Message"

Last night, I was asking my friend how her mom is doing. She told me she isn't doing well. I was so sad to learn this. Her mother is under excellent care while at John Hopkins, but they have done everything they could for her. They don't give her much time.

Elizabeth went on to say how this was good in one way, because they know what to expect and they have this time together.

I responded to Elizabeth that that is much better than having something like this happen unexpectedly.

This morning, my husband called Rickie at ReikiSpace and told her he was coming to meet me there shortly and to wait for him. I had just finished a session with a client.

When I checked my phone, I saw that my daughter had called while I was in the session. Usually she texts, knowing that I can't hear. I called her back using the relay. She asked if  Fabulous Husband had talked to me yet. I told her, "No", and she said that he would tell me when he got there. She just couldn't talk right now.

I mentioned to Rickie that something was up, something wasn't quite right.

When Fabulous Husband arrived, I could tell by looking at him that something serious had happened. We went into the Dragonfly Room and he held me and told me my mom had died.

I wasn't ready for this. This was so unexpected. I'm so thankful I wasn't alone. I am so grateful for this man I married. He had to make some phone calls and handle hard conversations.

I'm also grateful for the arms of a kind, gentle sweet friend. Rickie was so comforting with her support and kind words.

I drove home on a cloudless sunny day as if looking through a windshield covered with raindrops, only it wasn't raindrops. It was tears welling up in my eyes and splling down my face for twenty two miles.

I'm not sure which point of the journey I was hit with the instant replay of the conversation I had last night with Elizabeth. It played over and over in my mind all the way home. I told my Uncle Ricky about my conversation with Elizabeth last night and how suddenly this happened today. His response caught me off guard.

"Someone was preparing you for this".

I decided to tell him what happened earlier this evening. Most people don't know that my parents had a little girl who died of cystic fibrosis when she was 4 years old, a few years before I was born. Her name was Mary Marlene, but everyone called her "Marlene". This was almost 60 years ago.

I was adopted a few years later. My mom often talked about Marlene and shared stories about her. Though she lived a short life, my mom kept her memory alive.

I use my Iphone mostly for texting, and I seldom use it for phone calls. I use a relay, and call my mom mostly, and Fabulous Husband. My daughter and I prefer texting. Not many people have my "actual" phone number. The number I give out is a relay number.

Tonight, while waiting for my cousin to call, the phone rang. It wasn't my cousin's number, and it was from a number I've never seen before. I answered saying, "Just a moment, please". I handed it to my husband who answered it and told them they had the wrong number.

I asked him who called. "I don't know. It was a wrong number."

After I moment, I asked, "Who were they calling."

"It was a wrong number. They were asking for someone named Marlene".

....... Oh..... My..... Word.... "That was my sister's name!"

When I told Uncle Ricky about this, he said, "That was your mom sending you a message. She is with Marlene now. You know where she is. Your mother was an angel while she was on this earth. She is an angel in heaven now."

I have heard stories about loved ones sending "one last message" for the people they were leaving behind. What a tremendous gift to receive!

My mom was letting us know she is safe, we need not worry for her. We know she is happy to be with her other little girl, the one she had lost so many years ago.

While her soul has returned to God her maker, I know that one day, when I cross that great divide, my mom will be waiting for me, just like Marlene was waiting for her.