I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"
"Gone where?"
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!" there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout:
'Here she comes!"
And that is dying.
Henry Van Dyke
Cindy Simpson passed away this evening surrounded by her family.
Fair winds, good friend.
Thank you Libby. This is beautiful and makes it seem not quite so sad (even though tears are streaming). I'm certain she is having a grand reunion with so many. And I think her smile could even light up Heaven.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely image to think of those who get to see her coming!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Thank you Libby. My heart is torn between here and there, but Cindy's smile consistently flashes in my mind. I know what she knows now makes her happy and she is smiling still.
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