Tomorrow, May 8th, would have been my sister Doris' Birthday. She died 6 years ago, when she was only 71 years of age, from Lung Cancer. I could tell you a multitude of things about my sister Doris. She was the "funny one", a bit of a "rebel--"just because", she worked hard, loved hard, and lived life to the fullest. And she never cried, at least not in front of me. When I cried, she said "I lived my life and did it my way---no regrets, Sis, no regrets."
As I sit here now thinking of her, and going over my journaling from those days we spent together that last TEN DAYS of her life, I am going to try, through extemporaneous poetry, to tell you about it.
If you see it, I succeeded.
If this screen is blank, I failed.
It's more than blood that holds sisters together, It's loyalty, forgiveness, love, and hope. It's knowing you can say things without repercussions, And that your words do not fall upon deaf ears.
THREE SISTERS--TEN DAYS
IT'S FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND OFF WE WENT
HEADING TO THE LIGHT, THAT"S NEVER "SPENT",
IN MINNESOTA'S TREASURE ISLAND CASINO,
TO DONATE SOME MONEY TO-THE-CAUSE, DON'T YOU KNOW.
LAS VEGAS IT ISN'T, BUT THAT'S JUST FINE,
WE ONLY WANTED TO SPEND SOME TIME
TOGETHER AND ENJOY THE SCENERY.
FOR DORIS ISN'T FEELING VERY WELL, YOU SEE.
HER CANCER IS SLOWLY WINNING, THAT'S TRUE
SHE WANTED TO SPEND ALONE-TIME, HER, I, AND YOU.
SO WE LOADED UP ROXINAL, MEDICATIONS AND SUCH,
AND GOT ON THE ROAD, WE DIDN'T TAKE MUCH
TIME TO REACH THE APPOINTED HOTEL
AND GET SETTLED IN FOR A FEW DAYS AS WELL.
LOTS OF GIGGLING, AND LOTS OF SQUEALS,
AND ROOM SERVICE FOR OUR LATE NIGHT MEALS.
SATURDAY WAS SUCH A BUSY DAY !!!
WE SHOPPED AND I GOT A HAIR CUT ALONG THE WAY,
TO WISCONSIN FOR DINNER, FOR A CHANGE OF SCENE.
AND I BOUGHT AN ANGEL, SO SOFTLY SERENE.
LAUGHING--TALKING--SHARING, GIVING A BATH
WORE BOTH OF US OUT: SO HARDY WE LAUGHED!!!
BUT WE HAD SOME SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS AS WELL
WE MADE PLANS FOR HER FUNERAL, BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO QUELL
ANY BURDEN HER CHILDREN WOULD HAVE TO BARE
AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE SHE WANTED TO HAVE THERE.
A LADY MINISTER WHO HAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL VOICE
SHE WANTED HER TO SING, THAT WAS HER FIRST CHOICE.
AND SHE SAID WHO SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CARRY
HER TO HER LAST TRIP TO THE CEMETERY.
THE HYMNS SHE WANTED THE CONGREGATION TO SING
AND HER FAVORITE POEM , SAFELY HOME,
SHOULD BE THE LAST THING.
ON SUNDAY, WE WERE SMART ENOUGH TO GET DORIS A WHEELCHAIR,
SO TO A BIG BREAKFAST AND GAMBLING WE WENT, AND I DECLARE
WE DIDN'T WIN ONE THIN DIME, BUT IT SURE WAS FUN
AND WE SHARED, LAUGHED, AND LOVED, TILL THE DAY WAS DONE.
ON MONDAY WE STARTED A MELANCHOLY TRIP HOME,
STOPPED BY HERMAN'S AND COULD SEE HE WAS FEELING GLUM.
ON TO THE CEMETERIES THAT HELD ALL THE ONE'S THAT WE LOVE
AND SILENT PRAYERS TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER ABOVE.
TUESDAY WAS A DAY OF COMPLETE REST !!!
THE TRIP HAD BEEN TIRING, BUT WE HAD PASSED THE TEST !!!!
DORIS WAS HOSPITALIZED THE FOLLOWING DAY,
I SPENT THE ENTIRE DAY WITH HER,
AND CAUGHT A BUG, BY THE WAY
THAT FORCED ME TO STAY HOME FOR A DAY OR TWO.
ALL THREE RESTED, AND WAITED, NOT KNOWING JUST WHAT TO DO.
SATURDAY, UNDER HOSPICE, DORIS WAS ALLOWED TO GO HOME
TO SPEND TIME WITH HER FAMILY AND FOR HERMAN TO COME.
SUNDAY WAS SPENT REMINISCING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
A TIME OF FORGIVING AND MAKING AMENDS,
BUT BY EVENING, THINGS HAD REALLY HAD CHANGED
AND ADMISSION TO HOSPICE HOME WAS ARRANGED.
HER LAST HOURS WERE SPENT QUITE SERENELY
SHE DIED AUGUST 17TH, MY ANNIVERSARY.
JUST TEN DAYS WERE ALL THE DAYS THAT WE HAD,
BUT WE USED THEM WISELY AND I AM SO GLAD.
FOR THOSE DAYS MEANT THE MOST TO MY SISTER AND ME,
WE STILL REMEMBER, AND LAUGH, FREQUENTLY,
ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT I HAVEN'T SHARED HERE
THIS POEMS WAY TOO LONG AND I FEAR
THAT I HAVEN'T SAID ALL I WANTED TO SAY
SO READ SAFELY HOME, FOR DORIS' WANTED TO CONVEY
THESE THOUGHTS FOR ALL WHO LOVED HER AND FEEL
THEY CAN'T MAKE IT WITHOUT HER, HER FEELINGS WERE REAL.
karen
May 7, 2004
SAFELY HOME
I AM HOME IN HEAVEN, DEAR ONES;
OH, SO HAPPY AND SO BRIGHT!
THERE IS PERFECT JOY AND BEAUTY
IN THIS EVERLASTING LIGHT.
ALL THE PAIN AND GRIEF IS OVER.
EVERY RESTLESS TOSSING PASSED;
I AM NOW AT PEACE FOREVER,
SAFELY HOME IN HEAVEN AT LAST.
DID YOU WONDER I SO CALMLY TROD
THE VALLEY OF THE SHADE?
OH! BUT JESUS' LOVE ILLUMINED
EVERY DARK AND FEARFUL GLADE.
AND HE CAME HIMSELF TO MEET ME
IN THAT WAY SO HARD TO TREAD;
AND WITH JESUS' ARM TO LEAN ON,
COULD I HAVE ONE DOUBT OR DREAD?
THEN YOU MUST NOT GRIEVE SO SORELY,
FOR I LOVE YOU DEARLY STILL:
TRY TO LOOK BEYOND EARTH'S SHADOWS,
PRAY TO TRUST OUR FATHER'S WILL.
THERE IS WORK STILL WAITING FOR YOU,
SO YOU MUST NOT IDLY STAND;
DO IT NOW, WHILE LIFE REMAINETH--
YOU SHALL REST IN JESUS' LAND.
WHEN THAT WORK IS ALL COMPLETED.
HE GENTLY CALL YOU HOME;
OH, THE RAPTURE OF THAT MEETING !!!
OH, THE JOY TO SEE YOU COME !!!
Author unknown to me---
but God knows the author !!!!!
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