I walked with a lady today. Not in the reality sense, but it felt real nonetheless. She began to tell me stories about her life. I felt bad, terrible in fact. She was very soft-spoken and family oriented, but if you crossed her, you better believe she had a fiery attitude that could send chills up your spine, conjuring eternal goosebumps. She told me how she was forced into the system, a mere child, haven’t even hit puberty. Yet, the life of a foster child became the story of her life. She felt alone. I watched her as she looked forward, as if looking into her past. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, pain, and grief. Her explanation of her constant movings disturbed my soul. I listened to her words. Her lips pursed sometimes, signifying regret and loss. Her eyes watered and her emotion began to glide down her cheeks and luminated her skin. I couldn’t deal with it. I could feel her pain and it made me nauseous. She fast-forwarded her story to after her three children were born. There would have been 5 but the constant abuse of her first love caused her much distress and before long, the twins were gone.

In her late 20’s she developed breast cancer. It was a very rough time in her life, and for her children as well. They had no one. No one but themselves to deal with such a terrible time. Her daughters were strong, though. They dealt with everything the best that they could and took the place of the parent as she became the child. Her chemotherapy and radiation treatments made her weary but her children made her stronger. Nothing in this world would keep her from watching them grow. She fought and she won. The battle wasn’t over as she fast-forwarded for a last time when her cancer returned, this time, consuming her whole body and paralyzing her. It was her time, God had set it up and it was done. Her children couldn’t stand to watch her go through this ordeal. The oldest child argued and pleaded with the Grim Reaper, begging him not to come and take her mother away. He was a reliable worker, though. None of his jobs were ever incomplete. She told her oldest to make a promise to always take care of her siblings, and as angry as her child was, she didn’t hesitate to agree. It was her destiny.

Days passed by, this woman became agitated and yearned to see her children. One day they went to the hospice in which she was placed. She was happy, filled with joy and at that moment, nothing in the world mattered more than the sight of her offspring. The next day, she ascended into Heaven. Her mark on the world was left behind. I awoke. Damn, I miss you mom.