by Meadow Lark

Created on: August 28, 2011   Last Updated: August 29, 2011

‘The time for my departure is at hand,” quoted Jake from the pulpit.  He was a long haired hippy type in the 70s.  The tall lanky teenager seldom smiled.  The message he was giving was difficult for him because he was growing up.  It was time for him to move on, to grow, to learn what life might offer him next.

He went to college and fell in love with Kathy.  She rode with me in the car and asked me with a desperate look, “Do you think Jake likes me?”  It was a question Kathy asked at least once per week.  Jake was the love of her life.  Kathy was the love of his life.  They were not a handsome couple, but they were madly and deeply in love.

The decades passed.  It was graduation night for their youngest of seven children.  After the ceremony, he ran over to his mom and dad with his graduation gown flying behind him.   “Dad,” he said, “I want you and mom to meet Violet.”  They noticed Violet had no hair and her eyes were sunken.

The boy said with tear-filled eyes, “I know you and mom wanted me to graduate from college before I got married.”  His parents braced themselves for what might come next.  They learned from the other six children that anything could be on their boy’s mind.

“I’m in love with Violet, and she is in love with me.  Life is incredibly short.  Please give us your blessing.  We want to get married and spend the rest of our lives together.”

Jake and Kathy nodded and smiled at their precious boy who had just been diagnosed with brain cancer the week before.  “Steven, of course, you have our blessing.”

Steven and Violet were married the day after graduation.  Seven months passed.  Violet’s hair and wonderful glow had returned.  Steven lay in a hospital bed surrounded by tubes.  The time for his departure was at hand.

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