My sister-in-law and her family took an early train from another part of the country to come see mum. My brother's mother-in-law even took some time off work to come up north when she heard from my sister-in-law that mum is very thin and sickly.
It was a brief visit, less than an hour it lasted, but it brought many smiles to mum's face, even though she was very tired. My sister-in-law's family (including her mum and her two aunts) came and were very encouraging. None of that "you will get better" speech (which at times may be very disparaging and so fake to hear when everyone knows things may not get better....). They were there for just the right amount of time, and said just the right amount of words of encouragement and hope. They kept on telling mum not to think too much, telling mum that she is very brave and that she has done so much in life, least of all raised two fine children to be good people. What else does one want out of life? I squeezed mum's arms and winked at her, and gave her that "See, told you so" look.
The greatest source of mum's happiness and comfort, my nephew, was there too. He smiled when he saw mum, and made mum smile so much back, smile so much more than she has smiled in a long time. A true, lasting smile, or at least as lasting as my nephew was around, which was a priceless distraction from her pains and suffering.
There was a moment when my nephew's milk bottle was on mum's hospital bed. It was a bottle, just like the one that was hanging upside up in midair and pumping liquid nutrition into mum's veins. What crossed my mind, though admittedly it was a grim thought, was the contrast between beginning of life and the end of life... the stark, cruel, yet beautiful contrast between a (relatively) newborn and healthy child who is full of life and an ill and sad woman whose life is draining out of her body... She was once young and lively, and he will one day grow old and get ill too. The difference is in the timing, and somehow in this great big universe, my nephew and mum's lives have miraculously and preciously been destined to coincide.
My nephew jumped around and giggled, making everyone laugh and was of course the centre of much conversation. He has grown a lot, and grows ever more endearing that I am really falling for him and missing him when he is not around... So powerful the lure of a child's magical innocence and untainted beauty!
I played with him a bit, hugged him so tightly and rubbed my cheeks against his warm face. Temporarily I closed my eyes and quietly, from the bottom of my heart: "Thank you for making mum so happy... Thank you for giving us hope and strength.... Thank you for making me feel so loved..." He just looked at me an drooled and with his cute little fingers pulled at my face and of hair.
As intended, and as part of "Operation Reunion", my family was again brought together (though brother was sadly missing...) to make memorable memories. Memories that one day, when we look back, when some of us may no longer be around, can make us all happily reminisce with warmth in our hearts and smiles on our faces. And, as I wished, and I am sure that it is a wish mum shares though never really expressed, mum had the priceless opportunity to spend even more moments with her grandson, to see him laugh, to see him jump, to see him grow, and to see that he is surrounded and showered with love from so many who care about him.
All this is so very beautiful, so very, very touching...
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