I received word yesterday morning early on that my Aunt June had passed.
I don’t know her exact time of passing, but something inside of me tells me it was possbily Friday sometime before I gave my first public reading/signing. Although I knew Aunt June had alzheimers, I still hoped in some small way that someone in the family would still be able to read some or all of my book to her. Afterall, she was the one who made it possible with her initial genealogy research, without which I would have never known of our Waldensian heritage. It was possible, although I was unaware of the severity of her condition, that she might remember either her research or even me.
As I witnessed to comforting new aquaintensces yesterday at the Waldensian Festival Meal, one of them made it clear to me that although she had passed and that due to her condition, she now knew. Yes, she now was able to read, know and feel all that I was experiencing, for now she was home with all those foregone ancestors, family and those of us still here. It was there, during the my first ever authentic Waldensian meal, in the Waldensian Presbyterian church in Valdese that I realized so much had come full circle.
Yesterday was a day of fullfillment and new discovery.I constantly kept reminding myself of why I was there and focusing on keeping it all in perspective. The more I talked to ancesterally connected people the more it became clear that our story, the struggles of those so long ago should be at least an inspiration for us today. Then there were people that showed up at the festival just to purchase the book after having read about it in the local papers. These were people, some knowledgeable and some not, of the legacy of the Waldensians. Some were hearing the story for the first time and to them, I tried to emphasize the spiritual journey they were about to take once they began reading the story, for it is one that traverses both sides of the struggle, which are both equally important. For some, it would be a difficult one…
Then there were the discoveries, the ones that give you chill bumps. More than once I found out characteristics, traits or events that I had not known about, yet I had written them into my book as part of my story. Characteristics, traits and events that were true…..some of which were yet to be fully realized. To understand why and how this happend one would only have to accept it as God’s will.
Today I will return to attend the Sunday morning service and to reconnect with some of the persons that I was only briefly able to meet yesterady.One of whom was very significant, the wife of the late Gus Tron. Gus had been very influenctial and inspiring to me early on and like Aunt June, without whom, the book might not have ever been started. It was my first time meeting her and like so many things yesterday, was heartwarming in and of itself. She was as sweet as could be and obviously one of the reasons Gus was so instrumental in being a vibrant part of the community here in Valdese.
Yes, so much to still understand and so much more to tell.
It says in the Bible that to much whom is given much will be asked.
So it has come to pass…
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