Down the Rabbit Hole

Melanie

Melanie passed away this week after a long and hard fought battle with a cancer. Today was the day she was finally laid to rest at a small, shaded cemetary alongside her beloved grandmother. A large picture of Mel and poem was propped up against the headstone. Surrounded by flowers, it bore the image of my beautiful, young cousin in the days before her illness. It is hard not to think that something is wrong here...this woman should not be gone, she is the very picture of vitality and life. Her three blond babies weaved through the mourners, each of them sharing their mom's same sunny features. It was the perfect fall morning, bright sunlight and easy breezes. Melanie had loved color. Some of her family had arrived toting balloon bouqets and when released, they drifted off above our heads into an idealic blue sky. The pastor spoke about Melanie's unyielding faith and her joy at having been saved in the love of God. He talked about the comfort her faith gave her. I have to marvel at her devotion to a God who would take a young mother away from her children, from the family who loves her. I would, I think, be filled with many questions and much anger. But not Melanie. Melanie never complained or questioned. She may have been sad and angry at times, but never with God. My mother has a picture of Melanie framed from when she was about 18 years old. I was looking at it the other day, struck by how radiant she looked and how warm and direct her gaze was. Her mouth curved in an almost indetectable smile. It was a picture of a girl with her whole life ahead of her. In a lot of ways, it is my most favorite picture of Melanie. In just a few short years after that photo was taken, she would become a young mother. Nothing brought Mel more joy than being a mom to her three girls. Tomorrow is the memorial service. It is going to be a celebration of Mel's life but I also know there will be many more tears shed as her loved ones remember this remarkable person.