My Grandma Benson slipped away yesterday – quietly, peacefully and, I believe, right on time. As I wrote about recently, she had been gingerly dancing between here and there for a few weeks. She was unresponsive in recent days, but I have no doubt she knew all three of her grown kids had just been at her bedside, whispering their goodbyes and envisioning a sweet and easy transition to the Other Side for her. My dad stepped outside her room and, as a chaplain recited the Lord’s Prayer, my grandma took her last breath. Perfect timing.
I arrived within an hour of her passing and felt so fortunate to connect one last time with her physical body. I suppose this may sound odd to some, but I loved being able to caress her cheek, to smooth back her hair, to place my hand on the crown of her still-warm head. That felt so sacred and holy to me.
Throughout the day, family members, friends and caregivers stopped in to pay their respects. Given the amount of gabbing and giggling coming from my grandma’s room, I suspect an outsider would have never guessed we were in mourning. I fought back tears when my grandma’s favorite nurse, Esther, came into the room beaming – so thrilled that my grandma looked so peaceful and was finally free of the aches and pains that plagued her here. “I am going to miss her so much,” she said. “But I am so happy she is in a better place. She was ready to go.”
One of my grandma’s closest friends at the nursing home, a 92-year-old spitfire named Alice, also stopped by. She sat next to Grandma’s bed while sharing funny anecdotes and observations with my parents and me. Such a delight! Before she left, she turned to my grandma and said, “I’ll see you again, old friend. That will be a great day.”
I just loved the way both women celebrated my grandma and her life while also honoring the gift of death – subtly reminding us that crossing over to the place where love and light reign is the ultimate blessing in disguise.
{spread the love, share your thoughts}
oh this is such a beautiful tribute, wonderful one. what a wonderful woman your grandmother is. she was so fortunate to have such a beautiful and kind grand-daughter in you, lovely. many many hugs and peace in these days.
k.
Beautiful blog Liv. I too believe in the blessing of death as being the beginning of another soul journey taking with us all we've learned for our souls growth while here in body.
Many blessings to you and your family.
Val
Beautiful.
Liv,
So beautiful and something I needed to read.
So sorry to hear about the loss of your grandmother, Liv. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Beautiful, Liv.
Perfect and beautiful, Liv.
My best to the wonderful family Esther created.
Peace,
Joan
I am sorry to hear of your loss, but happy to hear of your outlook on your Grandmother's moving on!
Nice blog!
Don
http://exposeyourblog.com
"Always blessings, never losses." Lovely blog Liv. Nice to meet and make a connection, Trinda Latherow
Liv ~ What lovely words & memories of your last few moments with your grandma ~ Thank you for sharing them with us & know that we are thinking of you…
Sue
PhessThis is such a beautiful story, Liv… Earlier tonight someone shared w/ me a story of their mothers passing & how all these women had gathered around her in her room to dance & play her favorite tunes as she drifted away… What a glorious thing. I love to hear stories like this… it makes me feel so warm. You are a glorious ray of sunshine Miss Liv.
XO
Oops, "phess" was the word verification… it somehow snuck into the front of my comment above. Oops…
I must phess, I Looooooove Ewe!
Happy Mothers Day!
Thanks Liv for your goodbye story. It is close to my heart at this time, my grandma Ruby at 96 is on her last days. We wait and hope she will get back up and live to 100. Her passing, I know will free her pain too.
Arlene
I work in assisted living and memory care and have death all around me. It's sad, but I celebrate in knowing I could give them joy in the last years of their lives. One of my favorite's died in January. I was able to see her a day before her death and told her "just think, when I get to heaven you'll be waiting for me as will the 400 that have gone before you in the past 13 years." With that she had a twinkle in her eye and said…"how do you know I'm going there?!" She lived at our community for almost 13 years and I miss her terribly. But am looking forward the the amazing party I will have waiting for me when it is my turn to leave this earth.