(I wrote this about a month ago. I wasn’t sure how to finish it at the time.)

Mary Ann passed a year ago today. It has been a sad day, but not a depressing one, I miss her very much, but I know she is better off.

She went peaceably and I don’t think she was suffering. In fact, I wasn’t sure at the time she had passed. She had been sleeping for the last few days. She quit eating and drank very little. A couple of days before, Alesia, her care giver suggested I call the Hospice nurse. I did, and after examining Mary Ann, she told me that the end was near.

She slept that night, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning. Sometime after lunch she seemed to stop all movement. I called the Hospice nurse. She examined Mary Ann and pronounced her dead. We all say we would like to die in bed, in our sleep. Well Mary Ann did it.

The emotions I felt were surprising, I was sad of course. But instead of grief or anger like in the passing of other people in my past. I felt peace. I felt a connection to a higher place. I thought about Jacob’s ladder in Genesis of the Old Testament. I had this feeling for about a week and occasionally since. It’s very pleasant. Like she is waiting for me to join her.

I came to see you at the cemetery today.

Your flowers still look nice.  

Well l am off to a Nooners meeting. Everyone says Hi and wishes you were there.  I will come back and visit soon.

Love. Butch.