Blessings of the Night

“He’ll be smiling and you will feel comforted.”

Many have written and they start out, “There are no words to convey … ” or “I know words at this point can’t help ease the pain.” or “I don’t know what else to say, but … ” Then there are others who just write, they know what to say and they ease the pain.

This is from my brother-in-law’s 94-year old grandmother. Maybe I should just put the whole letter, but I clipped a section that I thought was especially helpful or useful or practical.

She’s telling us something to do or experience or at least to watch out for something as it might happen. When it seems like there’s nothing much to look forward to now that he’s no longer with us, it gives us a little something to look forward to.

Her mere “words” don’t apologize or pretend, they just speak directly from her heart–and land directly into ours. Part of me is incredulous that someone could just put together something so profound, that she could write this out–with pen, paper and possibly no revisions–that it sounds both like something from a classic work of philosophy or literature and at the same time a personal tribute to my father. Perhaps it is both.

Now we try to move on, in a different way, holding to courage and trust. Sometime, close your eyes and feel the memories return. Memories of togetherness. Sometimes in sleep, he may come to you. He’ll be smiling and you will feel comforted. Those are the blessings of the night.