This is for Barbara

My sister Barb passed away in the wee hours of yesterday morning, the family at her side as she released her last breath back into the great wide world.  Her passing was peaceful, and coming when it did, a blessing - she was in such pain that it could no longer be held at bay with medication, and it was heartbreaking knowing that she was trying to hold on and communicate with us through her suffering.  I think I prayed every single night that the suffering would end, and that it would end soon.

We knew this day was coming, but there is no way one can ever really prepare for such an event in life, for such a soul rending rite of passage. There must be adjectives out there somewhere to describe such things, but I can't think of one at the moment.

Barb was one of the most radiant spirits ever to grace this earth. Although small in stature, she was incandescent with life and joy and an elemental grace. Somewhere, she still is all that, I know, but her departure leaves an aching rent in the fabric of the world for those of us who knew and loved her, and a hurtful hollow wind is blowing through the gap.

Wherever my sister journeys in the realms beyond this one, may sunlight and laughter and sweet moonlight enfold her; gentle breezes and bird musics attend her as she travels - may flowers spring up in her footprints as she moves blithely through the green fields of  Elysium.

It is difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that Barb is gone.  This morning I logged on here in the small hours and tried to think of something to say, but I sat here like a stone, and it was some time before any words popped out at all - selecting an image from my many ramblings to go with this post was difficult.Your sister loves you fiercely, Barb, and she misses you more than words can ever say.