Catharsis

I was 12 when my greatgrandmother died. She was really my best friend. I spent every free second at her house. We lost my greatgrandfather together when I was 7. We leaned on one another greatly. My granny smoked profusely during her life, and she ended up getting lung cancer. She chose to not fight it because she was still deeply saddened by the loss of her husband (she never was the same after he died). The cancer spread to her brain. We visited her in the hospital every weekend. The last time I saw her was the day before she died in August of 2002. She had gotten to the point to where she couldn't speak, she could only stare. We knew that she wouldn't be with us much longer. My grandmother and my mom were there the last time I saw her. We sang one of our favorite church songs to her, "Everybody Will be Happy Over There".

There's a happy land of promise over in the great beyond
Where the saved of earth shall soon the glory share
Where the souls of men shall enter and live on forever more
Everybody will be happy over there
Everybody will be happy, will be happy over there
Everybody, will be happy,
Will be happy over there
We will shout and sing His praise
Everybody will be happy over there
Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers will be singing 'round the throne
In that land where no one ever knows a care
And the Christians of all ages will join in the triumph song
Everybody will be happy over there
We will hear nobody praying and no mourning in that land
For no burdens there will be for us to bear
All the people will be singing glory, glory to the Lamb
Everybody will be happy over there
We'll meet the one who saved us and who kept us by His grace
And who brought us to that land so bright and fair
We will praise His name forever as we look upon His face
Everybody will be happy over there

Despite my lack of singing talent, it took everything that I had to sing those lyrics (it's even hard reading the lyrics now). She looked at me while we were singing and tears rolled down her cheeks. I knew that she loved me greatly, but she was ready to leave this earth. She squeezed my hand three times, "I love you." Then we left. We got the call the next day that she had passed away.

We sang the same song at her funeral, along with "Amazing Grace." Every time I hear those two songs, I can't fight back the tears. Never have I had something make such an impact on me. I miss her everyday and I know that she is looking after me as she always did when she was here with me.

RIP Granny, I love you