Yesterday morning began as usual without any extraordinary occurrences.  We arose from our slumber anticipating a leisurely Summer day.  All was well throughout the day until we received an evening call which changed all of that.  We went from exploring the ordinary to being thrown into a situation we’ve never encountered before.

“They’re taking Mom to the hospital.  She’s unresponsive.”

My daughter sat with a look of disbelief on her face as she repeated the words her friend had spoken a few seconds earlier.

“Where are they taking her?” I asked, followed by, “Tell him we will meet them there!”

We all sat in silence as we made our way to the hospital as we whispered prayers straight from our hearts to God’s ears.

Our prayers were interrupted mere minutes from reaching the hospital as he called back and said, “She’s gone …”

Oh, Dear God …

We rounded the corner of the emergency room parking lot, searched the people standing outside, and scanned the cars parked nearby.  There in the back of the lot was his white Acura with the door open.  We approached the car slowly as we did not see anyone inside at first.  Then we saw him laying almost lifeless himself across the seat of the car with his hand over his face sobbing deeply.  I ran to him, pulled him up out of the seat and held him close to me as he cried, soaking the arm of my shirt with his heartbreaking tears.

His mother was gone.  The only true mother figure in his life was gone.  This woman, his grandmother, stepped in when he was only four days old, to care for him.  She became his “Mom” at that point, and she raised him as her very own all these years.  At 19 years old, his heart broke right there last night and shattered into a million pieces.  We got there as soon as we could to gather those shattered pieces and hold him as tightly as our arms could.

This was most certainly not an ordinary day at all as it ended in such heartbreak and pain.  Watching our dear friend trying so hard to be strong was excruciating for us as there was nothing we could do to take this pain from him.  All we could do was hold him, pray for him, and ask God to comfort as only He can at a time like this.

One thing we know for certain is this woman left this world last night and was rejoicing with her Lord and Savior that night.  As we wrapped our strong arms around him to hold him up, Jesus opened His Almighty Arms and welcomed her Home.

None of us know when our time on this earth is through.  Let us all get our hearts and lives right so when our time comes, our loved ones will know without a doubt that we’re in Heaven as well.