Baby girl,

Mum and Dad came to visit for a few days recently. I finished work, dragged my butt into the shower and then made my way over to see them. Dad was asleep on the couch and mum looked beautiful. She had just had a haircut and she looked so much like you in the light she was sitting in. I didn't want to walk in. I kissed her and she smiled and hugged me. Then I went to dad and kissed him on his forehead. Sis, you know dad right? He was never somebody anybody could startle easily. He was always pretty difficult to scare even when we tried jumping out at him. Not this time baby.

He jerked awake and was ready to defend himself. I almost started crying. Then his eyes focused and he saw me and Mand, I've never seen such a beautiful smile before in all of my life. He was like a little kid, he hunched up his shoulders and ducked his head down and grinning he held his arms out as though he'd never been happier. I don't think he was seeing me sis. Do you know that even I have started to notice the similarities in the way you and I look now. In a certain light I look just like my older sister. I think he was seeing you. That's why he looked so happy. 

It took so much of strength for me to not fall apart. He loved you so much. You were his baby, no matter who came afterwards, you were his sweet older daughter whom he'd always depended on so much. I don't know how to be around them. We have this forced cheerfulness, but we feel this terrible absence and it's difficult to be around one another. There's this lost look on all of our faces, and the shock still lingers. It's always there, it never leaves. 

Last night I dreamed of you. You and I were playing in the water. Eventually you managed to sneak up behind me and you had this massive bottle of water that you were pouring over me and I stood there because it felt so good to have the water wash over me. It felt cleansing. Strange dream...but then it's nothing less than what I expected. You were never a standard sort of person, you had a reason for everything you did. Maybe it'll come to me a little later.

I miss you today in a way I cannot describe. I love you honey...for all of our sunsets and sunrises, these 2 sisters are always together even when we're apart...I love you eternally my beautiful Mandy.

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Comment by Kathy S McBee on March 23, 2012 at 5:51pm

This is a beautiful post, Wendy. I hope it read it over . . . there are answers lurking in it for you. Your spiritual life is, truly, a strong one and I can tell you're being led to see your experiences with the eyes God wants you to see with. You'll be seeing the blessing of that.

Comment by Wendy on March 23, 2012 at 6:18am

Hi Brenda,

Thank you for your kind response to my thoughts. It was very sweet.

With regards to my faith, my sister and I believe in the Risen Christ. I'll tell you why...

When I was growing up, I didn't have much time for family. I was always into friends and I played too much. I didn't take life seriously enough. When life started to happen all by itself and I was left without anything I cried out for help. Believe me, I was totally alone and in bad shape. I'd gone my own way for too long and people had moved on with their lives. The Son of God got me back onto my feet. Through the Bible and by trying my utmost to understand what was being said to me...I began to see life in a way I didn't even think was possible. How could this entire life be happening the way it is, with all of it's colorful wonder and sweetness and how the heck did I miss all of this? Was there really that much depth to what had seemed like such simple things to me? So, I basically started life all over again at the age of 27. He helped me every second of everyday, to this very day.

Strangely enough, after I received help, my sister went through the crisis of separation from her husband whom she deeply loved. That is when I found that people needed love and they needed lots of it. Suddenly my sister and I looked at one another differently. We'd both been hurt, one was still trying to walk after falling, and the other had just taken a nasty hit and needed help. We leaned on one another...we learned the most wonderful things from one another. We both turned to God for help. 

The only reason I could love my older sister in the special way that I did in the last years of her life here with me...is because of Christ and the Word of God. He opened me up to loving. 

My sister and I were not religious people. We still aren't. We called Christ Father/Dad/Pa. If you can call worshiping a parent religion, then yes, you might say we're religious.

Otherwise...that's the very condensed and uncomplicated version of my life :). The real version would make your hair raise on end ;) Which is why I'm thankful for Christ.

I live by faith...I think most people do. 

I also learned that if we take a little bit of time, dig a little deeper, be more willing to participate in the lives of others around us, we'll discover that life is not as it seems...it can be better. We can be better.

I already know someone who is...you.

Lots of love and hugs,

Wendy.

Comment by Brenda Ann on March 23, 2012 at 3:02am
I just read over my own post to you and I want to explain what I meant by what God intended. I belive that God purposed us to live on a paradise earth forever. Death was never to rip families apart. Never!

Brenda
Comment by Brenda Ann on March 23, 2012 at 2:51am
Wendy,
I so enjoy reading your posts, I feel as though we are becoming friends. I am getting to know Mandy too through your eyes. I can't help to think that your writing all this down is helping you. Mandy is living on in your heart and those of us who are privileged to read your words are being schooled in love. What your family, especially your relationship with your sister, is what God intended.

Brenda

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