Aunt Bess

This vacation and holiday season has been so different from all the others. My bride and I have spent a lot of moments together that reflect our lifetime of "sharing" of being together. Christmas was quiet and reflective, rather than running and gunning, from one place to another, dealing with wrapping paper and bows, receipts and returns, whispered secrets. This year was just "us" in a very odd, sort of sweet way.

But this season also brought another level of sharing. My bride's aunt, Aunt Bess, has been struggling against the big C since this past summer. It was sobering to see someone who had been healthy all their life to suddenly have cancer in their liver, lungs, brain, breast, who knows where else. To watch a tall, elegant lady slowly lose a battle, even though the fight was brave and fought with integrity, it was a battle lost early this past Sunday morning. We could see her losing ground, like a courageous warrior simply outgunned and out manned, retreating, buying time, trying to find a solution, but in the end simply having to stand in the face of the enemy and allow the enemy to do its' worst.

But its worst was not good enough. The battle may have been lost, but the war was won. She died with honor, with integrity, none of her values compromised. She died as she had lived, on her terms, which mirrored the terms of her caring God.

After the funeral home had picked up the body, I drove back to our house in Dallas to get some needed resupplies for me and my bride. I left early, and when about halfway home the sun spread its first glow across the horizon. The night lights to the towns were still on, making a wondrous contrast between God's glory and man's insecurities. The only thought that came to my mind was this, " I wonder if Aunt Bess is looking at the same sunrise, but from the other side?" Is she as filled with wonder and awe as I am? I wonder. Does she now have in her possession the answers to all the big questions? I wonder. Can she now understand all the reasons for the struggle, for the heartache, for the trauma? I wonder. Or is she just resting, glad the pain is over, and reuniting with those that have gone before? I wonder.

There are no answers on this side. We can guess, we can speculate, but really all we can do is wonder.

So, Aunt Bess, here's a tip of the hat to a wonderful, articulate, quirky, and yes elegant lady.
I hope you caught the sunrise of your new beginning, it was done as only Texas can do it.

Godspeed
Don