The C Word – A New Battle Day 105 - God Be With You Till We Meet Again

A little diversion, sort of, from my regular topic.

I often wake in the middle of the night.  Many times as I awaken or as I try to fall back to sleep, a song gets “stuck” in my head.  Since I have a LOT of Christian songs on my playlist, it is usually one of those. 

This morning the song that came into my head was God Be With You Till We Meet Again, particularly this version by Selah:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fqu1ee5QNM 

I found that I couldn’t get back to sleep as my mind just wandered around as it tends to do in the still quiet hours of the morning. 

Sometimes I will turn on my Kindle which is by my bedside – and I did that this morning.  The very first post was one from my cousin – and it listed the obituary for my Aunt Vi.  I had heard from my sister over the weekend that she wasn’t doing well and probably wouldn’t live long, so I was not surprised at all.  Diagnosed with dementia around two days ago, she started on a fairly rapid decline in recent months and weeks. 

How appropriate then is the fact that this song was playing in my head.  My Aunt Vi is the last of her siblings to pass over to her heavenly home, a place she had already pre-determined she was going to go this year (she had said that she thought 86 was just the right amount of living).  She joins her beloved Tony just in time to celebrate what would have been his earthly birthday of November 4.  She celebrates with all of her siblings and most of their spouses – and with her parents – and all those who have gone before her. 

I didn’t always appreciate her.  As a young child she was our piano teacher (most of my siblings took lessons from her).  I dreaded the syncopated timer on top of her piano.  As I grew older I enjoyed visiting her.  She worked for Planned Parenthood for a number of years and while I can’t remember specific stories, I do remember laughing at her telling them.  The “stupid” things that people or patients said or did at the office – and the way she told us about them was very funny.  Aunt Vi was very easy to talk to – and she did LOVE to talk.  A LOT!  While she was not Italian, she picked up a lot of traits from Uncle Tony! Haha! 

We here on earth will miss her. 

God be with us till we meet Again… and we will. 

We are all on this journey towards our heavenly home.  We don’t know when it will happen.  While my blog posting has been on this cancer journey and all the experiences surrounding it, there are times when other things happen that bring to the surface emotions and feelings that are important.  Sometimes they are related to this journey – and sometimes not.

Today is All Saints’ Day.  A time to remember all of those who have gone before us.  As time goes on we start to forget about all of those people who were part of our lives.  Their memories start to fade.  But they are still there if we stop.

So take time today to appreciate all those who were part of your lives – who quite possibly helped shaped your life.  And THEN stop and appreciate all of those who are STILL here on earth with you.

My list of “saints” that I can think of right now:  Harold and Sara Pierpont (beloved maternal grandparents), Erskine and Elizabeth Russell (paternal grandparents), Callista Colacurcio Downey (beloved college roommate), Clarence (Zeke) and Barbara (Babs) Pierpont (loving aunt and uncle who lived just doors away while growing up, Alice and Joe Tucker (loving aunt and uncle as well!), Richard Pierpont (loving uncle), Tony and Violet Semararo (loving aunt and uncle), Dot and Bob Hill (aunt and uncle), John Haskin (brother in law), Pat Pierpont Burn (cousin), Gary Pierpont (cousin),  and of course, Mike Roberts (beloved husband, father of my children), plus a number of church friends and other friends…

My list of those here that I appreciate here on earth are far too numerous to list, but include my hubby, George,  my children Sara, Becke and Stephanie and their spouses, the grandchildren, my siblings and their spouses, our best friends not only locally but far and wide, my college roommates, church friends, co-workers and so on.  I am thankful for them all the time – they are my confidantes, prayer warriors, and so much more. 

My journey here is not done.  But when it is, I will see those “saints” who have gone before me – and God will be with those on earth until we see them again.