I'll Fly Away

I was walking today and words to a song kept going through my head.

 

Some glad morning when this life is o'er, I'll fly away. When I die, Hallelujah by and by. I'll fly away. 

 

Remembering the song, today, it occurred to me how often we fervently wish to fly away. Whether we feel intense happiness or fear, we so often wish to grow wings and soar to the heavens. I've read the thought many times here in this forum.

 

Last year, a co-worker’s wife was diagnosed with cancer. Norm took Louise to Oklahoma for advanced treatment and they sent her home. There was no hope. They did all the normal things. They called hospice and started preparations for the end. I remember he came to work everyday crying. He felt guilty that he hadn't always been a good husband. He felt inadequate because he couldn't help ease her suffering and pain. He felt loss in a hundred ways and he didn't know how to name the grief that overwhelmed him.

 

Did I mention that I really didn't know Norm all that well before his wife got sick? He worked on second shift with my husband. And he was kind of an odd bird. I never really knew how to take his strange sense of humor. Sharon took him and his wife meals about once a week. Rose Anne invited him to a cook out in her backyard, just so he could get out of the house for an hour or so. John went and cut down a tree in the yard that needed tending to. We all helped where we could.

 

I remember one day, he squatted down by Rose Anne's desk to ask her something. When he left, she called me over. She said, “He wants me to stay with his wife so he can get away from IT for a little while.” It, meaning his wife's disease, of course. She said, “I can't do it.” I looked at her thoughtfully, going through my life for the next few days in my head. And I told her, “I can do it. Danny might have to work on Saturday, but if you'll watch my kids, I can go.”

 

That was on Wednesday. On Thursday night, I got the kids to sleep. I watched TV. I found my way to bed about the usual time. Before I could even lay down, so I know I wasn't dreaming, I saw a picture. I saw angels, three of them, standing around a bed. I knew that it must be Louise. I wondered about the image for a long time that night. What would I do with what I saw? I woke up right away when Danny came home from his second shift job. I told him quietly what I had seen. We talked about Norm. He told me that Norm had been called home during the shift, Louise had to be taken to the hospital.

 

On Friday night, I called Norm to see if he needed anything. I hoped maybe she had been released from the hospital and I could fulfill my promise. It turned out, that what Norm really needed that night, was someone to talk to. He told me how supportive the people of his church had been. How great they were to help with any little thing. He told me a lot of things that night. I wondered if I would ever get off the phone. And then, all of a sudden, I knew he needed to hear something.

 

I talked to Norm about his faith. I asked him if he believed in angels. I told him what I saw, and that I thought his wife had angels near. He got really quiet for a minute. And I thought “oh, s**t, what have I done?” And he said, “My wife had three sisters. They have all passed on.” I started breathing again. I hadn't traumatized the man whose wife was terminally ill. We talked a little longer after that.

 

We never mentioned that conversation, Norm and me. When his wife passed, Rose Anne and Sharon and I rode together to the funeral home for the visitation. Louise was there; never far from his side. He hugged me tight for the longest time. I felt him holding on to what he knew. It was his lifeline in a sea of emotions. Those words helped him get through that day. They helped me, too.

 

Some glad morning when this life is o'er, I'll fly away. When I die, Hallelujah by and by. I'll fly away.

 

 

Reviews

[icelandicblue]

So often the suffering of others causes people to feel uncomfortable. It's not that they don't care it's just that they don't know what to do. You've written a really compassionate piece about the things that help to ease another's suffering. I really loved the part about the angels-I am particularly fond of angels. This was a beautiful piece.

[Emily B]

thank you

[shythatway]

Never far from his side..

You're beautiful :) Can't believe I haven't read this one before.

[Emily B]

I don't bring it out much :)

[shythatway]

Well, I'm glad you did today :)

[Fabian G. Franklin]

" I believe there are angels among us; sent down to us from somewhere up above" Alabama (Angels Among Us) That's one of my favorite songs. I enjoyed the read dear.

[Emily B]

Thanks, Fabian.

[...]

. how can i possibly express my gratitude for these words ? ... they are transformational ... life-changing in every way ... the compassion that you embody and the love that you so generously give could only make the lives of everyone in your life -- your co-workers, your folks, your friends, and, of course, your readers -- sparkle ... i felt lighter as i was reading ... ready to fly ... ready to touch the sky ... knowing that there are angels ... everywhere ...

[D Hughes]

this story was good, well you did had some grammar errors, but other than that, it was the best story i ever read. keep the great work coming

[Creepy Swine Guy]

It is so heartwarming to see humankind being kind to one another. This story warms my heart ... and that's not easy. I am old and jaded. You Kentucky people are good people.

[Bugg]

This story has real emotion in it. I loved it.

Bugg

[Susan M]

Your story gave me chills and now I'm crying. Thanks.