An Anniversary Reflection

Today, May 31, is the 22nd anniversary of my son’s death. Chris died rock climbing in Yosemite National Park. Climbing was his passion and Yosemite, his favorite place on Earth.

The years fly, yet our bond remains ever golden. I recall how irreconcilable his death felt on that fateful day and how God came close, saying that I had not lost Chris, only he had gone Home, that I would always be his mother and he, my son.

From my book, Freedom to Fall, written as a tribute to Chris, I would like to share a quote. It was written from Yosemite, where I had journeyed for the first anniversary of Chris’s death, in a spirit of celebration.  

…Birth and death are miracles, each leaving an indelible mark on the soul. Birth is the flame sending us into the world, death the spark propelling us into the next.

The Universe knows when a soul, newly evolved from Earth, rejoins its Grace. On each anniversary, the heavenly bodies align with that sacred moment, and there is rejoicing. Chris will be a yearling. Who knows what the newly reborn is up to.  Uncork the champagne. May this and every anniversary be remembrance of hallowed flight through space.

This morning’s walk was marked by an airy brightness that resonates with my heart. While I miss Chris dearly, always we are One. At the same time, truly, he belongs to God alone.

May today be a celebration, not only in remembrance of Chris’s life on Earth, but also of God’s calling and the Heavenly heights he scales today.