What's your story?

Initially, I was planning on getting some type of henna design. The day that I went to do it happened to be my mother's birthday, and as I was thumbing through the book of photographs my eyes fell on this butterfly. My thoughts immediately went to her.

Maybe a butterfly symbolizes new beginnings. It goes through a metamorphosis after all. From a little caterpillar, they cocoon themselves and become beautiful creatures. A new life, a new outlook, new wings to explore the world. Sort of like the little duckling turning into the beautiful swan. My mom was a beautiful soul here on earth, I can only imagine the wings that she got up in Heaven.

I could recollect hundreds of tiny little things relating to June 9, 2007. I am sure to most people, the day just slipped by just like any other. As they should. Today I'm recollecting family and togetherness, all pulling together for a truly remarkable soul. Always, always I recollect a very private moment of mine. One that I hesitate to share at times. It is of her and I hand in hand, and as she took her last breaths her pulling my hand up towards herself.

The last day that I spoke with her was Mother's Day 2007. And as we walked to our cars to give our goodbye hugs and kisses, just as we always did, we talked about the upcoming weekend and our plans to bring the grandchildren over to spend some time. We laughed and played around with each other about what our plans were. This has played over and over in my head many times. But today, for reasons that elude me, it has come to me. Those last simple moments of laughter and play were so precious. Those last moments of our untouched lives before our altered one.

Then this year, the day after her birthday, we buried her ashes. Kids walking around and looking at all the flowers and my oldest asking me burning questions about life, death, and Heaven. It was quaint, really. Why the movie reel has a different soundtrack today, how we reach this point, I do not know. It just feels so freeing to have a different perspective today, to feel grateful for something that previously held nothing but sadness. I feel so blessed to be reminded of the importance of the relationships that we have in our lives. I do not take for granted that I have been circled by some of the most amazing souls that walk this earth.