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Hope's only regret is in not being present at
wedding ceremonies of her two children. For she was in respirator when two teenagers became adults, married and had children. She only saw wedding pictures.
In fact, it could be said of her that she is a cat with nine lives. Because on top of this, she had an emergency appendectomy without anesthetic when her appendix burst, endured cancer, had major surgeries and chronic skin disorders.
But there is a time for every affair under heaven. Even a time to live and a time to die. So, one day she went for her seventh surgery. And after that she was removed from Iron lung for first time in 37 years, attached to a modern respirator using her tracheostomy, and placed on a hospital bed. She was not getting enough air. Fear gripped her. She knew she was going to die.
Three days later as she struggled for life, she spoke her last words to me : " Comfort, don't ever leave me." I nodded. I was holding her. I didn't want to cry. Then she died. Tears flowed freely. After one week, she was buried in city cemetery. Wreaths of flowers covered her grave which was marked with words: " Here lies one who waits upon lord." Darkness falls on cemetry. And we go home to mourn our beloved Hope.
Twenty years have passed now. I have since then grown from a lady to a married woman with a family. Perhaps she has been forgotten. But I still visit grave yard on every anniversary of her death to lay wreaths of flowers on her tomb.
Today is another anniversary of her death. And I take a bouquet of flowers to lay on my friend's tomb. As I enter cemetry, I raise my eyes toward gate and I see words of Solomon at Ecclesiates chapter 1 verse 2: THE GREATEST VANITY! EVERYTHING IS VANITY.
I walk ahead to marked tomb with epitaph: HERE LIES ONE WHO WAITS UPON THE LORD. I lay my wreath of flowers on Hope's tomb and sit to think of this loved one who suffered and died, waiting for lord.
I was awoken from my meditation by a flash of lightning and roaring of thunder. I looked up. It was going to rain. I gather myself and kiss goodbye to Hope as I hurry home. As I go, I remember her last words and I was ashamed that I was leaving my friend. On my way, I walk pass tombs of governor, slave, Indian and war veteran—all vanities. I step outside cemetry, look back and see those words again: THE GREATEST VANITY! EVERTHING IS VANITY. But I remember Hope used to talk of a bright future in paradise where sickness and suffering will be gone. I was encouraged. So life may not be in vain after all.
She took ill one black winter morning. My resolve now is to be faithful to God so that I will meet my friend during resurrection in coming new world. Then one bright summer evening we would gladly hold hands together as we walk through gardens of paradise. And I will say to her: "I'm here, Hope. You see, I never left you."
ARTHUR ZULU, an editorand book reviewer is author of controversial book CHASING SHADOWS! : A Dream. (A book that reveals terrorists' master plan to finally set world on fire!) For a copy of book and FREE excerpt, goto: http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/21013 For contacts, mailto: mostcontroversialwriter@yahoo.com
ARTHUR ZULU, an editorand book reviewer is the author of the controversial book CHASING SHADOWS! : A Dream. (A book that reveals the terrorists' master plan to finally set the world on fire!)
