A Visit from Ed

In our house last night, no one woke up in the middle of the night, no one, not even my mom.  Nothing like being able to sleep through the night without interuption; this morning I woke up awake and refreshed. 

Today is a GREAT Day!

Sleep absolutely helps my mom's mental state.  If she sleeps at night, the following day is always a great day for her and everyone around her. 

I was up before my mom this morning.  I put on the coffee, fed the hungry kittens and turned on the news to get the weather report.  It will be a cold day with about an inch of snow predicted. 

Quietly I walked down the hall that leads to my mom's bedroom so that I could check on her.  I still have this deep rooted fear from when I was a kid where I need to check to see if she's alive.  She was.  I turned up the heat in her room and went back to our sitting room to have a few minutes of quiet time.  I love the early morning when everyone is asleep except for the cats and me. 

Early morning is a sacred time.

The sound of the furnace heating the house, the creeks in the walls and the ticking clocks, is the morning song that soothes me.  Early morning brings peace to my soul.  Today is a GREAT day because I had a few minutes to fill my soul with the sacred sounds of my home. 

Peace.

My mom, she woke up but she didn't leave her room right away.  I looked down the hall and saw her feet, she was up and sitting in one of the chairs in her room.  I went in and greeted her.

"Good morning Ma.  How did you sleep?"  I said to her.

My mom with wild looking eyes, she wasn't quite awake yet, started to whispher, "Shhhh, be very quiet, Eddie... he's here, he's sleeping.  I only have one bed so I gave it to him." 

I wanted her to continue, I know she loves talking about my dead brother.  "Oh, well isn't that nice that Ed is visiting you.  Is he scaring you?"

"Oh no.  He sits in the chair right there and smiles at me all day long.  He never talks, just smiles." she said with a softness in her face that told me that the visits she is experiencing from Ed are making her happy.

Out of nowhere she says, "I think Eddie had a date last night, he came in late.  I gave him my bed."

My mom, began to wake up but not before she had a chance to tell me about my dear brother Ed and his visits.  She believes he's here because he leaves an indentation in the back of the leather chair.  Not wanting to shatter her belief, I went along with it and told her to enjoy Ed's visits, that he is here to protect her and keep her company. 

My mom said, "Oh, I talk to him all the time, but he just smiles." my mom said as she gave her best impression of Ed's smile.  She nailed the expression, maybe Ed really is here, helping me from the other side?

Thanks Ed, you are still a wicked good brother even if you did die way too young.