The Handyman, Part VII

A house is only a home when someone loves it. 

My mother created a home for her family. 

In honor of the Phoenix MS Walk tomorrow, I would like to share:

The Handyman, Part VII

I was greatly comforted by the fact that Mom had shown no pain at the end when she closed her eyes and took her last breath. 

For more than thirty years she’d fought MS valiantly, never complaining about her life or the pain we knew she experienced. 

For thirty years she was confident that a cure would be found. 

For thirty years she gave her best effort.

After Mother’s death I spent hours going through her photographs. 

We should have realized that Roy was an angel, or a ghost, after all everyone who came to visit had their photo taken for the albums and had their name written in one of the guest books. 

But yet Roy had eluded them both. 

Impossible.

No matter how I tried, 

I couldn’t get Roy out of my mind. 

And then I realized Roy was sent to be the one who would help my mother let go of this world.  

Mother was a caretaker: 

of her family, 

her friends 

and her home. 

How could she leave this world if those things were not taken care of? 

How could she leave loose ends? 

So Roy came to help her realize that he’d watch over my father and their home. 

He would be there to help with the roof, 

the back-stairs and the kitchen. 

He’d be there to watch over us, just as Mom had done before him. 

He was there to let Mother know that we’d be okay.

In the early morning hours, I sit beside the fireplace and I speak to my mother. 

We have long conversations in my mind and I hear her advice loud and clear.

I hear her words of encouragement and I know she is with me.

And I know and believe that the cure for MS will be found.

And lives will be saved.

That my mother's story is one of faith,

hope and love.

 In the early morning dark

He dreamed of the spring woodflowers

Standing in the ground,

Dark yet under the leaves and under

The bare cold branches.

But in his dream he knew their way

Was prepared, and in their time

They would rise up joyful.

And though he had dreamed earlier

Of strife, his sleep became peaceful.

                                                         

                                                      Wendell Berry

Please help support the finding of a cure.
For anyone interested in sponsoring my walk
here is the link. 
Sponsor Jean's Warriors
it's named after my mother, Jean.
May you all be blessed this day.