Flying Free

My friend is dead.  Twenty minutes ago her poor diseased lungs released her last breath in this world spiraling her spirit through mystical adventures unknown to us, the living. A mere six months ago Marianne and I laughed and made light of the daily minutia at LHS. She might have sensed that something was running amuck in her body but she was still radiant, innocent of the thief who was silently stealing her life's force.

Yesterday, at dusk, saddened by the hushed knowledge that death was about to take one of  us, I walked along the winding path which leads to my classroom in the woods. At the spot between two ash trees where, for some reason unknown,the veil between worlds has thinned I stopped.  The trees were filled with birds, varieties that I had never heard or seen before, all sharing the same two trees. Their combined calls were ethereal, not to be missed. Two young squirrels actually stood on their haunches and listened, eyes darting, ears perked erect. I notice all the creatures living in the woods near my classroom, they are my daytime companions. These creatures of the air were new.  It was 4:30. I sensed Marianne near, the essence of her that is real and will live on.  I noted the time as I truly thought that maybe she had slipped from her ravaged body and joined the world of spirit.  I now guess that she was just trying her fledgling wings for the next days' journey.
I believe in reunion, thus I choose to see her ecstatically greeting her husband who passed from her world many years ago, leaving her to raise her sons alone. I see them holding hands and walking, whole, renewed and in love again. I hope she is loving us as much as we are missing her tonight.

Godspeed on your journey home, Marianne.