This was written by one of my dearest friends Amy Shepard! I love her, and she means the world 2 me! What a tribute to my sweet Aimee!
Sparkle
She pattered around the room, barefooted, confused. She knew where she was, of course. She knew exactly where she had been the last several days. Nothing had changed in the room. Not the ominous beeping of machines, the steady flow of nurses and doctors checking in on her. Or the smell. Hospitals smelled so...weird. Sterile. Too clean. It was as it had been from that first day. That is, nothing had changed until she had risen from bed.
Her eyes fell to the floor, to her bare feet. I should be wearing socks, she thought offhand. Don't want to catch a chill. Mom would worry if she saw me out of bed like this.
She tiptoed back to the bed and waited, sitting with her legs dangling off the edge. Surely someone would come soon to check on her. She could picture the surprised grin on the nurse's face, the shout of relief from her parents and family.
She's awake! Come see! She is awake!
Her legs swung happily as she pictured the reunion, her toes nervously flicking. Hurry, she pled quietly, I can't wait to see their faces!
Before long, she tried the door handle and carefully peeked into the hallway. It was dim, only the blended glow from the evening lights in the hallway illuminated the corridor.
Hurry.
She closed the door and turned to go back to her bed. A man stood just behind her, startling her terribly. She rubbed sorely at her elbow where it had bonked the door knob.
You scared me! she laughed. How did you sneak in here?
May I tell you a story? the stranger said kindly.
Uh, sure, she agreed, thinking how the man seemed familiar but ignoring the feeling and trying to be polite. Maybe he escaped the psych ward, she thought sadly. Maybe he is lonely.
The man cleared his throat and indicated the bed so she might sit down. She did, smiling at the poor, crazy man who had somehow snuck into her hospital room to chat.
I once knew a young lady, much like yourself, he began quietly. She had lovely red hair, a stunning way of making those around her smile and more than that...she had a wonderful gift that she gave to others. Do you know what that gift was?
Her smile wavered, does he really want me to answer? she thought. Is this a rhetorical question? Sometimes adults ask random questions and never actually want an answer. They want you to divine some magical inspiration from the question but don't really ever want you to answer it out loud. She shrugged politely, wondering (hoping) someone would come in so she could finally surprise her family.
Her gift was her life, he continued, interrupting her hopes. For every smile and every little gesture, she gave pieces of herself to those she came into contact with. He paused, putting his fingers on his chin as if he were thinking hard, Like glitter! It was as if she went about with glitter on her hands and everyone who knew her came away with a lovely dusting of it.
She smiled, thinking how silly yet true the concept seemed. She knew people like that. People who make you smile, make you laugh. The ones who cheer you or are simply happy, making you happy in return.
The man took a step closer to the bed, You know glitter is never cleaned up completely. Did you ever do arts and crafts with glitter and find that days or weeks, even, after the project you find glitter in the oddest places? She was like this. She left the light and love of herself all over.
As much as she was enjoying the man's little story, she kept looking past him to the door, wondering when the nurses would come, or, even better, her parents.
His voice was steady as the man went on, This young lady had a great calling from her Father in Heaven. A job she did beautifully here on Earth. He stopped, watching the girl watching the door.
She was called home recently, he said sadly, something that caused much, much sorrow for those who had been so lucky to be given some of her 'glitter'. She was young, yes, but she was so much more.
The girl felt genuinely bad for the man, I'm sorry. Was she your granddaughter?
She didn't expect the smile on his face to be so warm, Somewhere along the line, yes.
I'm very sorry, she whispered. The man sat next to her on the bed. She expected to feel odd about this but instead felt very calm, very at ease.
What is your name? she felt impressed to ask then bit her lip, feeling silly. The man held his hand up and without a word began to draw in the air, trails of illuminated light told her his name. She nodded her head, That is a great name. I have a great grandfather named that.
Yes, I know this, the man said lightly. May I tell you the rest of the story?
Yeah, of course. She looked toward the door again.
My great granddaughter, as you so smartly presumed, was called home a short time ago. And would you believe it? They sent me to collect her from Earth. I was worried she wouldn't come with me. I thought she would be angry with me for taking her away when she had only begun to show the world what she was capable of doing with light and life and the love she had bursting from the seams of her heart. She had only just begun to share her glitter.
She turned to the man with a question, Why did you take her then? That isn't fair.
Tears welled in the man's eyes, She is needed desperately at home. There is a great work that few may take part in, in the heavens. A very special calling, even above the crucial work she did while here.
The girl stood off the bed, Well what if she doesn't want to go? What if she chooses to stay here with her family? Why do I have to leave now? Give me more glitter! I'll put it everywhere! You'll see, I will have glitter covering every corner of everywhere...please, just let me do more here, with my mom and dad...my brother and sister... she clutched at her heart, crying now.
She was in the man's arms suddenly, the world beneath her fell away as a weightlessness enveloped them both. A steady whooshing like the sound of fresh laundry flapping in a breeze forced her to look up. The man's face was pinched, as if he were fighting back a sob.
See your world, child. See where you have been.
She witnessed her life then, the years flowing in sharp detail and an unexpected thing happened inside her...she felt at peace.
But my family... she cried.
They were standing there, all of them. Everyone she loved. She expected once again to feel grief, to want to reach out to them. The peace remained.
We have many at their aide, her grandfather spoke softly, passing his hand over her eyes. She saw immediately the courses of angels standing very near, if not partially inside, her beloved family members. Every one of them was accompanied by familiar faces wearing heavenly robes and fantastic, celestial wings. She wiped her eyes, wrapping her arms around her grandfather.
Promise me the angels will stay. Promise me that and I will go with you.
He held her tightly, We never leave. We never, ever leave our family. You will be with them, like your glitter, forever.
Turning her head she saw her beloved family through the neatly folded feathers of her wings and knew it would be alright.
Her eyes fell to the floor, to her bare feet. I should be wearing socks, she thought offhand. Don't want to catch a chill. Mom would worry if she saw me out of bed like this.
She tiptoed back to the bed and waited, sitting with her legs dangling off the edge. Surely someone would come soon to check on her. She could picture the surprised grin on the nurse's face, the shout of relief from her parents and family.
She's awake! Come see! She is awake!
Her legs swung happily as she pictured the reunion, her toes nervously flicking. Hurry, she pled quietly, I can't wait to see their faces!
Before long, she tried the door handle and carefully peeked into the hallway. It was dim, only the blended glow from the evening lights in the hallway illuminated the corridor.
Hurry.
She closed the door and turned to go back to her bed. A man stood just behind her, startling her terribly. She rubbed sorely at her elbow where it had bonked the door knob.
You scared me! she laughed. How did you sneak in here?
May I tell you a story? the stranger said kindly.
Uh, sure, she agreed, thinking how the man seemed familiar but ignoring the feeling and trying to be polite. Maybe he escaped the psych ward, she thought sadly. Maybe he is lonely.
The man cleared his throat and indicated the bed so she might sit down. She did, smiling at the poor, crazy man who had somehow snuck into her hospital room to chat.
I once knew a young lady, much like yourself, he began quietly. She had lovely red hair, a stunning way of making those around her smile and more than that...she had a wonderful gift that she gave to others. Do you know what that gift was?
Her smile wavered, does he really want me to answer? she thought. Is this a rhetorical question? Sometimes adults ask random questions and never actually want an answer. They want you to divine some magical inspiration from the question but don't really ever want you to answer it out loud. She shrugged politely, wondering (hoping) someone would come in so she could finally surprise her family.
Her gift was her life, he continued, interrupting her hopes. For every smile and every little gesture, she gave pieces of herself to those she came into contact with. He paused, putting his fingers on his chin as if he were thinking hard, Like glitter! It was as if she went about with glitter on her hands and everyone who knew her came away with a lovely dusting of it.
She smiled, thinking how silly yet true the concept seemed. She knew people like that. People who make you smile, make you laugh. The ones who cheer you or are simply happy, making you happy in return.
The man took a step closer to the bed, You know glitter is never cleaned up completely. Did you ever do arts and crafts with glitter and find that days or weeks, even, after the project you find glitter in the oddest places? She was like this. She left the light and love of herself all over.
As much as she was enjoying the man's little story, she kept looking past him to the door, wondering when the nurses would come, or, even better, her parents.
His voice was steady as the man went on, This young lady had a great calling from her Father in Heaven. A job she did beautifully here on Earth. He stopped, watching the girl watching the door.
She was called home recently, he said sadly, something that caused much, much sorrow for those who had been so lucky to be given some of her 'glitter'. She was young, yes, but she was so much more.
The girl felt genuinely bad for the man, I'm sorry. Was she your granddaughter?
She didn't expect the smile on his face to be so warm, Somewhere along the line, yes.
I'm very sorry, she whispered. The man sat next to her on the bed. She expected to feel odd about this but instead felt very calm, very at ease.
What is your name? she felt impressed to ask then bit her lip, feeling silly. The man held his hand up and without a word began to draw in the air, trails of illuminated light told her his name. She nodded her head, That is a great name. I have a great grandfather named that.
Yes, I know this, the man said lightly. May I tell you the rest of the story?
Yeah, of course. She looked toward the door again.
My great granddaughter, as you so smartly presumed, was called home a short time ago. And would you believe it? They sent me to collect her from Earth. I was worried she wouldn't come with me. I thought she would be angry with me for taking her away when she had only begun to show the world what she was capable of doing with light and life and the love she had bursting from the seams of her heart. She had only just begun to share her glitter.
She turned to the man with a question, Why did you take her then? That isn't fair.
Tears welled in the man's eyes, She is needed desperately at home. There is a great work that few may take part in, in the heavens. A very special calling, even above the crucial work she did while here.
The girl stood off the bed, Well what if she doesn't want to go? What if she chooses to stay here with her family? Why do I have to leave now? Give me more glitter! I'll put it everywhere! You'll see, I will have glitter covering every corner of everywhere...please, just let me do more here, with my mom and dad...my brother and sister... she clutched at her heart, crying now.
She was in the man's arms suddenly, the world beneath her fell away as a weightlessness enveloped them both. A steady whooshing like the sound of fresh laundry flapping in a breeze forced her to look up. The man's face was pinched, as if he were fighting back a sob.
See your world, child. See where you have been.
She witnessed her life then, the years flowing in sharp detail and an unexpected thing happened inside her...she felt at peace.
But my family... she cried.
They were standing there, all of them. Everyone she loved. She expected once again to feel grief, to want to reach out to them. The peace remained.
We have many at their aide, her grandfather spoke softly, passing his hand over her eyes. She saw immediately the courses of angels standing very near, if not partially inside, her beloved family members. Every one of them was accompanied by familiar faces wearing heavenly robes and fantastic, celestial wings. She wiped her eyes, wrapping her arms around her grandfather.
Promise me the angels will stay. Promise me that and I will go with you.
He held her tightly, We never leave. We never, ever leave our family. You will be with them, like your glitter, forever.
Turning her head she saw her beloved family through the neatly folded feathers of her wings and knew it would be alright.
Dedicated to Aimee Lynne Henline and her beloved family.
