I am trying to keep my focus, my understanding that heaven knows no untimely death, that all is temporal in our physical world, and that eternal light is what we live for...but I miss her, my daughter, and all those who have gone before us, and I miss him, Michael, my brother-in-law/brother who left this world for his eternal rest on that Saturday morning, just a little over two weeks ago. And if I miss him this much, I can only imagine my sister's pain, the loss of Matt and Joseph, Michael's siblings, neighbors, friends and just about everyone who has shared their "Michael moments" with Karen in the last days. I hope those stories continue, I pray that people do not forget, I plan to make sure his life was lived so that we all can learn. We can learn, once again, not to take one minute for granted. We can learn that speaking from the heart is honest and good, even when others do not want to hear what is ours to own. We can learn that one simple, random act of kindness will one day mean the world to someone. We can learn that the dusting and cleaning can wait, that taking someone on the jeep ride, or driving someone to the beach, or building a sandcastle means so much more. We can caress the hand of our beloved spouse in new ways, take the time to really listen to them and their deepest desires, beliefs, or wishes, we can linger in the embrace of a hug for a little longer, and we can kiss more passionately. All these things can help Michael live longer in our hearts.
His was a story entwined with Allison's. It is safe to say that she paved the way, or rather, God used her in wondrous ways to show her uncle the way to truth, light, acceptance, and eternal life with a loving God. It is safe to say that Michael Powers was never the same after his niece left us. It is safe to say that he learned the lessons as his own life changed and cancer invaded his body. It is safe to say Allison led him to Jesus and the life he now lives, in spirit form, free, simply free. It is safe to say the questions, perplexities, confusion, doubt and even anger or angst, was precipitated by his beloved pink angel. She had felt all of those emotions, too, and charted a course for him that was often ugly and painful, yet made beautiful by the end result...the eternal perspective, the place we all desire, yet don't feel ready to move to, especially when we think of our physical world.
Michael found his readiness, made a little easier by his love of God and family, a family who stood by his bedside and prayed and ushered him into new life with kisses and hugs, loving touches and the laying of hands. What joy he must have felt, but could not convey to us, yet, we knew, we knew because the next morning, he took that final breath and his heart stopped beating under the loving palm of his beloved Karen.
Eternal bliss awaits us all, it is ours for the asking and the accepting, heaven knows no untimely death indeed...Michael was on this side of heaven for 53 years, not enough, not nearly enough, Allison for 21, never enough, Faith for 3 days, not even beginning a life here as we know it, and I could list all the others who I carry in my heart. Never enough from our perspective, but just enough by God's definition. Just enough.
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