Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Balloons

When my grandfather on my mother's side passed, it was a couple weeks after his birthday and his balloons were still full.

We didn't know what to do with them, so we took them home and let them float away in the sky above our backyard and we watched as they flew away and became tiny dots into the sky and disappeared.

It was freeing. And comforting.

None of us will ever forget standing in the backyard, hand in hand, watching as the balloons took flight and left our lives.

Yesterday we said "Goodbye" to my grandmother on my dad's side, as she was laid to rest in her final resting place.

My dad wanted to release balloons for her.
DSC_0340
He chose white because he said, "Angels are white."

And we, along with my grandmother's sons and daughter and daughters-in-law released our balloons and stood and watched as the little angels took flight.

I was busy taking pictures of how beautiful they were against the blue sky and released mine after everyone elses.

They trailed behind, dancing and flitting together in the wind as they floated up into the beyond and they reminded me of my sister and I.
DSC_0343

And then the balloons turned into all of us, following our beautiful angel into the sky to be with her, even if we aren't right now.

As they floated even further up, they formed a shape that looked like a great big, "M" as her children looked upon it.

DSC_0350
MOM.

2 comments:

Pubsgal said...

(((hug))) Oh, Christie, what a beautiful ritual to honor your grandmother. I'm sure she would have loved it. I hope it brought much-needed comfort to your family.

Maggie said...

Sending you big hugs. I haven't been commenting, but I read about your grandma and how special she is in your heart. I love the balloon thing. We did that once as a memorial to a friend, and there was something so indescribably peaceful about it.

Post a Comment

Talk to me goose!

(ps. I love responding and if you have your email set on your blogger profile I can!)

My Favorite Quotes

"Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it." - Bill Cosby



I tri because one day I didn't believe in myself. And then one day I did.



"I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of a man is to live, not to exist." - Jack London



Some people think it's holding on that makes one strong- sometimes it's letting go.



"Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History."- Laurel Thatcher Ulrich



Live life PASSIONATELY, laugh OUT LOUD, love UNCONDITIONALLY. - from my spoon rest.

"The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire." - Ferdinand Foch