The Stars

From my perch in the garden, I watched the steady stream of people moving in and out of the chapel's viewing hall...quietly wondering to myself what role they had played in my Grandmother's life. A sudden squirm against my arm brought my attention back to the four year old sharing the garden bench with me.

"Sissy?"

"Yes?" I glanced down and rubbed his blond head.

"Well, if Grandma died and went to heaven, then how come we can't see her? Where does they go when they go to heaven?"

I bit my lip and abruptly thought, Where is your mother when you ask questions like this?!

What to say? What to say? Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Fumbling, grasping for an explanation he could understand...I glanced up to the sky which had already gone dark with night...and found my answer.

I pointed upward. "Do you see that star?"

I waited for his little eyes to follow my finger and locate the twinkling light in question.

He nodded.

"Well, THAT is Grandma Pat. That's her up in heaven keeping an eye on you and see how it twinkles? That's her waving to you. So anytime you want to see her or talk to her, all you have to do is come outside at night and find the biggest and brightest star in the sky and you'll know you found her."

He looked at me, round eyed. Then to my surprise, his face split into a big smile and he waved frantically up at the dark sky shouting, "Hi Grandma. Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!"