As I sat by her side
In the still of the night
With only the ticking of the clock
Echoing in my mind
I held her hand ever so gently
Whispering words of encouragement
That it is okay to let go.
The circle of life upon her soul
Has reached its crescendo
And I am present to witness her last breath.
The dawn of tomorrow is yet to appear
While the season of her transition is near.
I contemplate the passage of time
Her childhood, childbirth, and now her child
Guiding her home.
In the flow of life, we may forget to take moments
That can forever alter the course of our destiny
And bring us lessons for wisdom, growth and inner peace
When on the threshold of our last breath
It is then we may understand
What we have missed, what is really important
As the choices we make, the thoughts we think
And the actions we take
Are but a reflection of who we have become.
Beneath the surface though
Is another layer
One in which the essence of our being resides
No judgments, no fear, no need to control.
As time marched on, and it became surreal
A knowing the finale was imminent
I closed my eyes and prayed
For her spirit to be released
And the pain, suffering, and anguish
To dissolve.
Tears of sorrow and yet celebration of life
Permeated the room
I stroked her hand, as a mother would do for a child
Feeling her presence for the last time.
I am reminded daily of the fragile nature of living
We are all in the process of dying
The importance of how we treat each other
Is a testament to the power of peace and harmony.
In our last breath
May all of humanity realize and recognize
Individually we have the strength and courage
To make this world a better place.
Dedicated in memory of my mom….
Such a profound rendition of the passage we all call ‘life!’ Thank you Ms. Eileen, for this wonderful reminder enshrined within the tribute to your mother. To my mind, the best tribute we can give to life itself is by being at peace with ourselves at all times. No matter how tough it may seem, an attempt can always be made by letting go of the things that bother us or challenge our limited wisdom. We must all remember and appreciate the transition that nature brings upon us when least expected.
My heart goes out to salute the mother that gave us such a wonderful daughter, with a beautiful soul. Also, at the same time, I take the liberty to wish you a Happy Birthday, where you may celebrate all the good things others say about you, in how many different ways you have enriched their lives, mine included.
A Really Big Note of Thanks, with Warm Regards!
Bharat, thank you! Yes, agree….being at peace within is the key for peace in the external. I believe you are correct, appreciation for the transition nature brings upon us, and since we really do not know when our last breath will be, focusing on the present is important. All our previous moments we cannot retrieve, except in memory…only the lessons learned & wisdom gained can be taken forward.
I greatly appreciate your kind words and the happy birthday wishes. It is rewarding to know I have enriched your life (and others). Perhaps some day we will meet in person….
In Gratitude,
Eileen
Sure, God willing!
Eileen, that was a beautiful tribute to your beloved mum..
“In our last breath
May all of humanity realize and recognize
Individually we have the strength and courage
To make this world a better place.”
That is also a prayer and I say “Amen” to that.
“When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.”
Jonathan, thank you! Yes, we can consider the paragraph you mentioned as a prayer….this is something I contemplate on a regular basis.
I love “the memory becomes a treasure.”
Eileen, this was heartfelt for me in so many ways, thank you
Lynn, you are welcome. Happy to know it was heartfelt for you….
Eileen, beautifully written and felt. I empathize with you and all those that have been touched by the death of a loved one. My father’s anniversary of his death and of his birthday just passed. I remember experiencing all those things with him. I have relived those exact emotions many times. Life is so short. Thank you for enriching our lives with your perspective and wisdom. Blessings my friend!
Nancy
Nancy, thank you! Yes, life is short and I will keep you and your father in my thoughts as well. You are welcome….I find writing a great way to bring forth what I have learned (continue to learn) and what resides deep within. All the Best, Eileen
Eileen – Such a moving and touching tribute to your Mom. Thank you for sharing this. Thank you for being you. <3
Len, you are welcome. Hope all is well with you.
I know this story well. Excellent work. Very well written
Thank you Johnny….I believe many have had a similar experience and one that can be difficult to deal with, expecially emotionally. My sister and I were both present, each holding a hand, while my father could not handle being there in the final moments. They were just shy by a few months of having been married for 50 years. I am glad you enjoyed reding my story.
Tears and Smiles what a great story my dear friend
Thank you Larry….as I have an upcoming birthday and my mom’s anniversary of her passing is soon, it seems a deeper part of me is feeling my own step closer to my last breath. It causes a continuation of introspection and contemplation of what I am doing with the time I have left….which really is an unknown, but yet inevitable. Having witnessed and been present for her last breath, it was a very powerful experience. One I often think about and relate to my own understanding of the circle of life and death. Glad you enjoyed my story.