Friday, February 26, 2016

Goodbye Mom, Marian (Maffeo) Giacomino 4/14/22 - 2/22/16

     My mother quietly passed away Monday morning, here at home with her hand in mine. For three days we sat vigil by her bedside, listening to her breathe, even counting her breaths for hours throughout the night. Breath, breath, breath, stop, breath, breath, breath, stop, while two clocks in the room ticked the minutes away. And then the breaths were no more. The silence was a shock. A moment later I noticed the clock still ticked, so I reached over and stopped it. The agony was over but the grief had just begun.
     During the long vigil I whispered loving things into Mom's ear. There's so much to say to someone we love when they're dying. No regrets, no confessions, just loving encouragement for a job well done, a life well lived, and promises of paradise and God's loving arms waiting to receive her. Sometimes I sang songs to her during the long nights. A few times I fell asleep with my head on her arm, aching for my mother because I was still her child. Steve played quiet songs for her on his recorder in the day and it seemed to soothe her breathing. Audrey and Tess came to hold her hand when I needed to leave the room. We prayed and cried as those hours and days ticked by. She was never conscious but we assumed she heard all we said and did.
     How close and thin is the veil that separates us from eternity. Just there, on the other side of a breath, angels do the Lord's bidding. Yet, how wide the chasm that separates our living reach from those on the other side.
     Friends came by to pray and talk. They dropped off meals every day, sometimes even two.We felt the love. I hope Mom felt it, too. In spirit, she's passed on to her eternal home with God and all her loved ones who have gone before her. In body, she begins her journey home to New York today. Oh how she longed to go home!

6 comments:

  1. I am not sure I have ever read a more beautiful post anywhere. Thank you for taking the time to share these moments with us..
    Well lived lives..All of you.
    May Peace and Grace carry you forward.

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  2. My condolences to you and your family, Leonora. My brother and myself traveled this same path some 15 months ago keeping vigil at my mother' bedside. She also was not conscious although that did not prevent us from talking to her as if she were still with us and able to respond. It is indeed sad and we also think of her every day especially more so frequently as the sale of our family home was completed, per her wishes. This was indeed a very loving tribute to your sweet mother who is now be at peace and free from all earthly pains.

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  3. My sincerest condolences Leonora. I think your care for your mother during her passing was the greatest gift you could have ever given her. To be so loved is a great blessing. ((((hugs))))

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  4. Beautiful,graceful,nearly peaceful. Praying for you.

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  5. I wish I could give you a hug in person. Just know that I have been thinking about you after I saw the post on facebook that she had passed. (I've been out of town a few days, so just saw this beautiful post.)

    I don't think you could have written a more lovely tribute.

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