An Email from Heaven

My Mom asked me a while back to try to edit the eulogy I gave at Dad's memorial service down to one page so that she could frame it.  That sounded good in theory, but turned out to be impossible in practice--there was simply too much that I didn't want to delete--so no matter how I tried, I couldn't carve it down to one page of copy.

Instead, yesterday I gave her a framed poem I wrote during the middle of one of my long, contemplative nights a while back.  I'm sharing it here in the hope that anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one may be encouraged.

One of the things I've missed most about Dad being gone is that every day I received email from him.  Usually he just forwarded things that he thought were funny or profound, but occasionally he wrote a personal note and I've saved most of them in a file called "Stuff from Daddy".  I imagined recently an email exchange between us and thought it might go something like this:

Sometimes we miss the best of life’s gifts, sometimes we fail to see

The blessings in front of the nose on our face, and that’s what happened to me.

Sometimes we argued and disagreed, but he loved me regardless for certain

And if my selfish flesh could have just one more wish, I’d ask God to draw back the curtain.

If the veil was removed that separates us, or he could send one more email or two

I have to believe if he sent one today, it’d say:

“Sandy, all of it’s true!

Your life there on earth’s a rehearsal, the best day down there can’t compare

There’s no more pain, no sorrow, no sickness, not even a hint of despair

Colors before unknown to me more brilliant than you can conceive

And love overwhelming envelopes us here in a way that you wouldn’t believe.

I love you, and look forward to seeing you all, but now I’m finally free

From all earthly chains that bind and restrain, so don’t feel sad for me.

This is what we’re created for, communion with God unbroken

So until our sweet reunion some day, my love for you all is unspoken.

Carry it still with you in your hearts, until that precious day

That we meet again on these golden streets, when you will hear me say…

‘Welcome home. I love you.’”

And I love you, too, Daddy.

Always,

Sandy