Late Saturday night, a joyous soul left this earth. Where she went I can’t say for sure. But my grandmother prayed to the Virgin Mary. She found comfort in Jesus. So if our beliefs paint the boundaries of our worlds, the afterlife included, then I guess she’s in Heaven or somewhere on her way there.
I haven’t settled on my own beliefs. However, I’d like to think that she is about two days into her greatest adventure yet, unfettered by a temperamental body. No longer constrained by gravity, the infinite, quiet beyond looms before her. She is free to journey alone, although likely to choose otherwise.
Before now, the thought hadn’t occurred to me. The woman we know as Lupe Gonzalez… Mom… Granny… is the epitome of a true Leo. With fiery red hair, an explosive smile, and remarkable energy, she could hardly resist the dancefloor—or the attention.
Not one to be left behind, she explored the globe with those who loved her. Cancun, San Antonio de Rivas, Guadalajara, La Barca, Dagupan, Rome, Victoria, Calgary, Maui, Oahu, Austin, Oakland, San Francisco, Sedona, Reno, Lake Tahoe, San Diego, Palm Springs, Redding, Seattle, Santiago, Valparaíso, Santorini, and everywhere in between. She cruised the Panama Canal, rode through Copper Canyon, and ate her weight in gelato in Bee Cave, Texas. The list goes on.
So why stop now? Maybe for a time she’ll join her sisters. Maybe my grandfather is at her side, 20 years gone by in the blink of an eye. I’m sure they’ll continue to dance as if they never missed a beat. And Nano will think to himself, This must be Heaven. Because here we are, yet never again will I be obligated to eat the food she’s made. 😉
¡Salud! To love, family, and everlasting life!