Katherine's Journey

For those of you following my daughter's progress, I'd like to let you know she is doing remarkably well. She gets fatigued easily, both mentally and physically, but considering where we were a month ago...miracles do still happen! She has her next CT Scan on December 17th and, depending on what it shows, the dr. will determine the next step. His current opinion is surgical removal of the affected area in January. I'd like to see the scan show that her body has taken care of the issue on its own and no surgery will be needed. :-) (The people photos are of Katherine & Nicole baking pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and the flowers were from a group of Katherine's friends who convinced the driver of the local Tech van to detour to our house one afternoon. We love that story. Her friends have been truly amazing!)

I'd like to share a story Katherine wrote for a challenge about a year and a half ago. The prompt was: Twilight Years of Life. Even though Katherine was only 15 at the time, she wrote in the adult category and her stories often placed within the top 5 of her group. Enjoy "After the Twilight of Life Comes the Dawn of Eternity" by Katherine Boulanger...


He lay beneath the sheets, reflecting on his life. The face of his much-loved granddaughter, happily married to her beloved, looked upon him with an expression that begged him not to go. Aside from her husband, her grandfather was the only relation who still loved her. It was he who had secured their marriage years before, he who had taken them in when they had not money enough to purchase a home of their own. And now, all that was about to go away.

“Now, my children,” said Old Grandfather Thomas, “I know you are very sad. I am going away. Don’t worry. I lived a good life, and I know God will take me.”

“No, Papa, no,” begged Anne, burying her sweet face in his hands, “you will live. I need you here.”

“Yes, dear Papa,” Michael added his words, “you shall live. I confess, I am afraid of being the man of the house.”

“Ah, you see?” said Grandfather Thomas. “But it is better for you. You are going to learn things you may only learn if I am gone…”

“But Papa!” cried Anne. “I cannot bear the world without you!”

“I had not finished yet. You see, although I am leaving, it will only be a brief goodbye, and then I shall see both of you again in Heaven. Now, my children, come and put your heads under my hands. I cannot seem to lift them.”

The children did as they were told. Anne wept, and Michael was solemn. “Dear Lord,” said Grandfather Thomas, “help these children when I am gone. Bless them and all their children. Help them to prosper in their years to come. Help Anne to be happy, and Michael to run the home. They have been Your faithful children, and have been ever so good to me. And now I ask that You watch over them in my stead, and show them grace.”

He closed his eyes and let his hands fall from their heads. Neither said anything. Anne no longer wept, but watched him with a nearly placid expression.

At last, he opened his eyes and said in so soft a voice he could hardly be heard. “Now, my children, that I have given you my blessing, my time is running out. Michael, you will miss me, but not too terribly. And Anne, my granddaughter, you will weep for me, but not too much. Now, are you ready to let your old grandfather go home to his Heavenly Father?”

Michael replied first, with a shudder. “Yes, I am ready. I shall do all that you asked of me so that you might smile upon us from the Heavens. And I will care for your granddaughter, and your future great-grandchildren.”

Old Grandfather Thomas’s eyes rested on Anne. She looked at him ruefully, but then she tried to smile, and said, “Yes, I believe I too am ready. I know I will miss you terribly, and I will weep, but I know I shall see you again, Papa.”

And the two children kissed their grandfather goodbye, then bowed their heads to await the going home of Old Grandfather Thomas.

No more words were spoken. A few tears coursed down Anne’s cheeks; Michael’s breathing was deep, but they knew it was better for her grandfather that way. Old Grandfather Thomas leaned back upon his bed, letting his eyes slip shut and his breathing slow. His heart stilled and his body grew cold. The feeling of all his years washed out of his face.

But Old Grandfather Thomas, though Earth was only blackness, could see the gates of Heaven opening before him. From the gates, two women came out. The first was a blond, with deep, clear blue eyes and a skin like polished marble. The second had a dark chocolate mane and deep black eyes, and an olive skin. Both were dressed in white. The first one was his daughter. The second was his wife. They reached out to him and each took one of his hands. Then the wife and daughter gone before him, as the Hands of God, led him home.