11/2/25 5:28 pm

She lies in bed semi-comatosed, death approaching minute by minute. More lucid a few hours before, her last words were ” I want to go to church”. Not sure if a Catholic priest is the one to call we ask for Mormon help since she has been closest to that Church in her waning years. A local Bishop quickly arrives and performs the Last Rights as she lies in her own bed in her own home.

Her breathing is sometimes a series of gasps but the morphine supplied by the hospice nurse helps. She is surrounded by family and friends as the Bishop departs. 

On her nightgown clad belly sits my iPad. I reach forward and hit a play button on i tunes and we wait silently for the music to begin. Suddenly the room is filled with Handel’s Largo a most beautiful poignant piece of music which she wanted played at her funeral.  I’ve always thought it a bit strange that people would request particular pieces of music for their funeral as they approach death. They won’t be there to hear it so why would it matter? Instead I decide to play it while she is still alive. A beautiful moment comes to an end…so beautiful we all agree it must be played again to be sure that she has heard it…

She never wakes…

4 hours later as we stand by her bedside her breathing worsens, she sighs  and suddenly it is over. I am standing next to a pious Mormon woman, one of her dearest friends. We both gasp as the air above her body shimmers and slowly rises to the ceiling through the roof to fade into the early night sky . We turn to each other shocked and both say at the same time “Did you see that?!!!!!” 

Not sure what to do now that my mother has passed I walk outside to look at the evening sky. I stop at the front porch stunned. There are 3000-4000 black crows standing quietly on her front acre lawn…all turned looking at her bedroom to my left. She has fed a few them every night for years… scraps from her table.

 Too stunned to know what to make of it I too look to the left to see a deer stag next to her bedroom window…at least 10 points above his majestic head. Somehow I just know it  is her deceased cousin who she had always hoped would meet her at death. 

Somewhat in mild shock I turn to look south across the fields to see dusk turning to night. Suddenly a blazing meteor shoots across the sky from east to west, a bright, white fireball with a tail 1/4 the horizon. Instinctively I say out loud ” Good by mom…” and the meteor sinks below to the West.

All this actually happened, 10 years ago to the day to the hour to the minutes as I type this…

I’m not sure why but I felt a need to share this very personal happening…

These are very hard times in America for so many people. There is so much suffering and as much as I try to help in my own way it never seems to be enough…

However, I know deep down in my heart that there are realities beyond the scope of our understanding which we will never fully comprehend but which tell us never to lose Hope. 

There will always be Music, Crows, and Loved Ones waiting for us at the end. And truly …a Soul which will shimmer in its own way as it seeks Home. 

May your Guardian Angel guide you until your time comes…