Love Always, Dell

As she fought back tears to be brave for her four-year-old daughter and five-year-old son when coming home from their final visit to her mother's burial, the two dashed inside their home to play and she collapsed on the porch swing.  How will she, and her husband, be able to tell their children in a way they would be able to understand with such young and delicate minds?

He chose to stay home to pack some odds and ends that would now go into storage.  When he heard his children come inside with a playful pitch in their voices, he too fought back tears.

As he was emptying the bottom drawer of a very old dresser, he found something - a piece of paper with lovely penmanship but sorrowful words.

'Dearest to my all,

When you find this letter, I will have passed away.  My imagination soared in what Heaven would be like as I wrote this fateful note.  The words below are true to what I dared thought.  

I am as surrounded in love from beyond as I was when I was alive.  I was not afraid.  I was not in pain.  I was simply exhausted from leading a marathon named life.  If this helps, I came in first (go gold for Team USA!).  I simply needed to rest my eyes and, yes sadly, never open them.  I am in Heaven now and I am sincerely happy.  My family is with me, my furry ones are with me.  So Heaven...not so bad!  When the day comes to explain where I am and where our beloved furry ones are, I will be with you to help them understand with such young and delicate minds.

I have to go now.  Did you know that in Heaven there is a smorgasbord?  Who knew!

Last thought -

The heart I had in life is the same I have in my soul.  I need not say more.

Love always,

Dell'

Dell was her mom.

As her flood of tears cleared, she slowly went inside and called for her children to come into the kitchen.

They raced to meet their mom.  They actually did know something was wrong but were too young to understand.  Instead they felt inquisitive, for unknown reasons, about furry loved ones they knew only through photos and shared stories from their parents...and their grandma.

"Mommy, where is Annie?"  Annie was a goofy yet loving cat perfect for Dell in her later years.

"Oh honey, Annie had to visit Grandma.  She just needed Grandma time."

"Mommy, where is Sammy?"  Sammy was a gentle and precious cat meant to be for Dell.

"Oh honey, Sammy had to visit Grandma.  He just needed Grandma time."

"Mommy, is this cat?"  They looked at an aged photo of their grandma holding a big, fluffy cat.

"Oh!  That was Scooter - Grandma's cat from a long time ago.  He was an outdoor cat and sometimes rough and tough, but he always came back home to be with his mommy - your Grandma."

"Mommy, who is this dog?"  They looked at a colored photo of their grandma kneeling down to pet a rather large dog.

"Oh!  That was Chessie - Grandma's Australian Cattle Dog from a long time ago.  You both would have adored Chessie because she was alive just in time to meet you, Theo, and you too, Julie.  How she loved her family and how protective she was of all of us - especially you two.  Chessie could not have puppies of her own, so you two were cared for by her as if she was your mommy."

"Is she with Grandma now?"  

Theo and Julie looked to each other with sad eyes.  They were very young but they were very smart.  They were starting to understand the thought of passing away.

"Yes," she whispered with flowing tears that she could not wipe away fast enough.

"Mommy, do not think of them as gone.  Think of them as a very long phone call away."

She gently laughed at what her mom always loved to hear.

Love always,

Dell