Remembering Grandma

My Grandmother's memorial service was on Saturday past in Arizona. According to my Uncle Mark there was a smashing turn out and a power outage that seemed to happen especially to remind loved ones of one of my Grandma's famous sayings. My family, parents, and siblings did not attend this service, we shall bide our time waiting on the service that will happen this summer up here in Washington. My uncle also graciously provided a copy of the eulogy that my Aunt Lorraine gave. And thank you for that Lorraine, having co-written a eulogy in the past and yet unable to actually perform it, I know how emotionally taxing that is, bless you! I wanted to share a portion of the eulogy because it was so beautiful and gave me goosebumps as well as brought tears to my eyes.

GONE FROM MY SIGHT

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: “There, she is gone!”

“Gone where?”

Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as beautiful and strong as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to reach her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: “There, she is gone!” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: “Here she comes!” by Henry Van Dyke

And that is how it is for us. Here we are saying "There, she is gone." and there is God, opening His arms in welcome saying "Here she comes."