Today, June 24, is one of the saddest days of my life. It was four years ago today that my friend Betzi lost her brave battle with breast cancer. She left behind her husband and her daughter Addie. I was absolutely devastated when I heard the news, because I always thought that Betzi was going to beat the cancer. Now she’s become one of the angles that I know is watching over me. Sometimes I can even feel her presence. I was thinking about how I could celebrate her life today, and it turns out that I didn’t have to do anything. Betzi let me know that she was thinking of me.
Like the rainbow showing up over the Kennedy Center after the Tim Russert memorial, where the final song that was played during the memorial was “Somewhere over the Rainbow.” Betzi sent me a sign to let me know that she was thinking of me and that she approves of the role that I am playing in Addie’s life. Earlier this summer I bought a rose bush and several small purple flowers. I bought a huge round planter and a rectangular planter that goes over the deck. I put the rose bush in the big round planter with special potting soil, and I put the purple flowers in the other planter. I wasn’t sure if the rose bush was going to grow this season. But sure enough the branches began to sprout green leaves and the branches themselves began to turn red (which led me to believe that the roses were going to come soon.)
I’ve been checking on my rose bush every single day for a couple of months, and even through the rain that came today, my first flower appeared. It was my sign from Betzi, who was a wonderful gardener and loved planting flowers and different kinds of gardens. As soon as I saw the red bloom and my first rose, I began to cry , because I know that my angel is watching over me and she’s reminding me that I really am doing a good job being in Addie’s life! I love you Betzi and miss you!
