Today we said our final goodbye to Annette. The demon cancer has taken another one of us. Not without a fight though. I don't think Annette knew the battle her body was capable of fighting. I don't think any of us did.
Today was her funeral, and as I sat in the packed little church, watching the grief spill from one family member's face to the next, I had a hard time coming to the reality of it all. The reality is that Annette is no longer in pain. No more stomach cramps, vomiting, huge amounts of pain medicine, weakness, fears, and watching her family watch her suffer. And while it is so hard to accept that her earthly life is over, I know she is finally happy, free of pain, and patiently waiting for the time that her family meets her on the other side. She will be wearing orange and her great big smile, and the first thing she will say is, "How are you doing?" That was Annette. She cared for others, asking how they are, no matter how she was herself. The look of concern in her eyes was deep, and will be again, the next time we meet.
The funeral was that like no other I have been. From the readings to the music, it was all Annette. So, with that in mind, I am including a poem from the program that says everything.
God saw you getting tired,
And a cure was not to be.
So He put His arms around you
And whispered, "Come with Me."
With tearful eyes we watched you suffer
And saw you fade away.
Although we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
You're now at peaceful rest,
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He only takes the best.
So Annette, please watch over all of those you love, and know that your image will be seen every day through nature, music, laughter, tears, and memories.
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