Grief is heavy. It slows down time and weighs on you. Did you know that one day can feel like three? I just came off the longest week of my life. I’m so exhausted.
And the Plan of Salvation has been on my mind a lot. About a week ago my favorite Aunt was placed on Hospice, and our family started a bedside vigil.
We had someone with her around the clock. Because when she was conscious, she could barely communicate, and we didn’t want her to suffer. She was in a lot of pain.
Gathering and grieving
Everyone came into town, and we spent a week remembering her and sharing how she had improved our lives. Then four days into our vigil, she passed on.
Something that struck me was that my aunt left one world surrounded by loved ones, to enter the next world surrounded by more loved ones.
It was an incredibly beautiful transition for a woman who made this world a better place for nearly every life she touched. Even though we grieved, she was full of joy, knowing she had done all she was supposed to do.
God’s beautiful plan
As I get older and witness babies born and loved one’s “graduate” from Earth, the Plan of Salvation takes on new beauty.
God sends sweet, perfect little spirits into families. He lets our growing up and living life teach us how to use and understand our bodies. And these bodies are miraculous!
He doesn’t leave us alone to muddle through life. He gives us families- whether natural or adopted. And He gives each of us the Light of Christ or conscience as some call it.
I call it our soul recognizing our inherent divinity. We naturally seek the light, and truth, and love. It’s a beautiful plan!
We have the tools
God also gave us the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide us through life.
Along with the Bible and all the other words of God, His servants, and our families and friends to support us through our trials.
God gave us covenants and ordinances to grant us greater strength and spiritual power.
He gave us the Temple to give us a glimpse of our true destiny and divine purpose.
Honestly, I have never put all this together, or felt so blessed until this week. It is clear our Heavenly Father wants us to succeed gloriously in our journey back to Him.
“Heavenly Handoff”
When it’s time to return to our Father in Heaven, ideally, we will be like my aunt.
The idea of being surrounded by loved ones for the “Heavenly Handoff” fills me with joy.
It reminds me of a beautiful painting I found by Katie Gardner called “Mother to Mother.”
It depicts our Heavenly Mother handing an infant to an Earthly mother; or vice versa. It was a social media sensation when she released it!
It spoke to me, as I suffered 3 miscarriages before my son was born. I bought a copy of the painting because of the peace it still brings me. It helped heal my grief.
It reminds me that this life is a stopping place, and not the ultimate destination.
Grief to Joy
Life is a learning and growing time, but hardly the end. I know I will see my babies again, even though the grief was hard. And I thank my Heavenly Father daily for my son, for motherhood, and all it has taught me.
My Aunt died on Halloween, and the stark contrast between her hospice room and the cute trick or treaters that evening was enormous. The sorrow and the joy of life in one great cycle.
I know our hearts were heavy, but she was like those children- full of joy and freedom and light. Seeing her in my mind, experiencing a new world, gives my heart peace.
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