Friday, June 15, 2012

Epitaph to Bertrand

It's been four years since Bertrand died. About a month before he died he was over for dinner stuffing himself on his mom's incredible lasagna.
After supper he said to Danielle, "Mom, I don't really know how to tell you this other than to say you're a grandmother."
She looked up and smiled, "When did this happen?"
He shrugged, "About 18 years ago when I was in high school."
"And? she smiled again.
"My girl friend got pregnant, usual story, her parents found some people who adopted the baby. Anyway the reason I'm telling you this now is I heard from Elisa, the mother, that the girl, Fran, wants to know her birth parents and she already tracked Elisa down."
Danielle smiled again, "So I will have a chance to meet this grand-daughter."
Bert said, "There's a possibilty."

The day after Bert died the phone rang. I picked up and a young woman's voice asked to speak to Danielle. I asked her name and she said "Fran".  I asked her if she had gotten the news about her father. She said yes she had and that's why she was calling. So I looked at Danielle and said, "You're going to want to take this call."

I've lost friends and family to crashes, diseases and drugs. But to lose a child just shatters your world like nothing else can. Danielle accepted the loss of her first-born child with grace. And then almost as a gift the Universe (or whatever you want to call it) sent comfort to her in the form of a hitherto unknown child.

Life moves along like a great river through the lands of joy and sorrow. We drift with the current knowing our destination is that great ocean of bliss or oblivion - take your pick.

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