Year Nine
Nine years ago today my Grandmother, Lurine Terrell Garner, became an immortal angel as her mortal body made its transition. It all happened so quickly. A whirlwind even. We knew that my grandmother had been sick, however, because she loved us (her family) or maybe because patterns of self sacrifice embed deep in our bones, we did not know how sick she truly was. My grandmother knew she was transitioning and she was not afraid. In fact, my grandmother took joy in the idea of glorious freedom that would be found on the other side. I recall conversations with her during my teenage years, specifically telling her that I did not want her to die. She had to live forever, even though I knew that was far from reality. She would tell me in her very sharp tone, "What you scared of, Shay? Ain't no need to be sad. We all gotta go some day and I can't wait to sit under the shade trees and walk the streets of gold." And she kept that same energy all the way until the end. On...