Portrait of a Lady

A lovely lady named Ruth died this morning. I never met her face-to-face, but we shared several phone conversations over the past fifteen years and passed greetings back and forth through e-mails and Facebook, thanks to her daughters.

Our connection was through my "good husband." She was his second mother-in-law, and he held her in the highest regard. Even after her youngest daughter divorced him, Ruth stayed tuned for updates on his life. She knew how happy he and I were together, and was thrilled for him to have a totally fulfilling marriage. She was devastated by his early death, and I imagine today they are playing cards together or singing old show tunes together in the Great Beyond.

Because I loved this man whom she loved, she accepted and embraced me as if I were her own daughter. She had three daughters, and if you can judge a woman by her offspring, she was an incredibly successful mother and grandmother and great-grandmother. Her daughters are all active in their communities and in their churches. They take good care of themselves, physically, and have large and loving families who share their love of life. These daughters all open their hearts to those around them. They are adept at expressing love and acceptance. Sometimes you hear cynics express the opinion that all families are dysfunctional; that opinion has no place in this family.

Her passing was quick and as untimely as a death can be at age 92. She fell a week ago and broke her hip. Two days later she had surgery to repair the hip, and went quickly downhill after the surgery. She hung around long enough to hear from all her kids, grandkids, and greatgrandkids, and died this morning with her three daughters at her bedside.

Anyone who has made so many people happy for so many years should have no problem resting in peace.

Thank you, Ruth, for your caring heart.