Pink

For several days I've been thinking a lot of my friend, Vernelda, who finished her fight with Breast Cancer this morning. She was 50. She had been fighting for just over a year. I saw her on Saturday, though she was past seeing me. I'm glad I had the chance.
I was an adult when both my grandmothers passed. Both were on Hospice at the end. I knew both pretty well; but there were still plenty of things to think about and wonder about. I think I've given more energy to Vernelda's last 3 days, though.
I dressed my girls in pink and wore pink myself to church on Sunday. We pulled out the pink nail polish as an honor to Vernelda, whose nails were always beautiful.
Vernelda was a champion of sisterhood and of self-sufficiency. I associated pink with Vernelda long before she was diagnosed with cancer. She was Relief Society president when we arrived in Maryland, and for the year preceding her diagnosis I served as one of her counselors.
Is it because Vernelda was young and my grandmothers were in their eighties?
Is it because I worked with her as an equal?
I think I loved my grandmothers both, quite a lot.

I'm very much at peace... perhaps that is the difference.
I am confident in the expectation of meeting Vernelda in the next world. I'd hope to meet my two Grandmas, too; but I don't have any bets placed on how their judgment will turn out, what their desires were, or what their reward will be. I'm really glad it's not my job to make those decisions.
Vernelda, though, I expect to see -- provided I keep with my life plan.
As I left her room, following the most one-sided conversation I have ever had with her, I told Vernelda that I expect a hug from her the next time we meet.