Nama

Early yesterday morning, I received the call that I had dreaded for a long time. My Nama had passed away quietly in the night. I feared the call for a lot of reasons, especially because it would forever close a chapter in my journal that I could never write in again. The time with her is behind me now and I have no opportunity to either enrich or break down that relationship. I posted a few months back about an extraordinary trip my three brothers and I took to visit her and now I am all the more thankful that we took that opportunity. The amount of regret and guilt had we failed to make it happen would probably be more than I would care to handle right
now. I also could have passed up the opportunity to speak with her on the phone just hours before she died. Instead, I can look back and feel closure as I made that call and was able to thank her for some things that were way overdue. Now we are waiting for the funeral arrangements and a trip to the country's midsection to pay our respects and I feel peace.

She was a lovely woman but never let a stereotype lead her. Strong and courageous, she rarely took "no" for an answer and constantly strove to satisfy her convictions. Her softer side was evident as well. I don't know that two months had gone by in the last five years that I didn't get a card or letter from her. The letters were usually chock full of personal happenings as well as newspaper clippings to pique my interest. I will miss those letters and I'll miss calling her on her birthday. Though, sad, I'm joyful for knowing her better than I could have - if I'd just let our
relationship decay and fade away.

All of my grandparents have left their earthly bodies behind now, but I'm not alone. God gave me a wonderful large family of parents, brothers and sisters and 7 years ago he united me to another family when Rachel accepted my offer. Now we have 3 kids of our own and the story continues. I'm also surrounded by friends, coworkers, fellow believers, and the rest of the human race. So, I'm anything but alone. And when everything is past, I'll still have the company of the Most High to comfort me.

In Him,
David