It is early morning Thursday.  The church is packed for the Thursday Mass commemorating Jesus' Passover feast.  I stand at the back.  Slowly I slip away to the side wings, which have been erected to hold the spillover.  The grass there is cool and damp under my feet.  I can see a patch of sky.  It is yet dark blue.  A stained glass picture of the Madonna and Child shine from the lights in the church.
As I look up, between prayers, I see the sky turn a lighter blue.  Day is breaking.  The sky is now tinged with pink.  A flock of small birds fly out from behind the church spire--black silhouettes against the rose-tinted sky.  The Madonna shines serenely.  All around me disappear.  I am alone with my Maker.

I am linking to this article which a niece of ours wrote in connection with my son's first death anniversary

My son's first death anniversary came and went.  We, belonging to the Orthodox Eastern Church tradition, pray for the dead, as Catholics do.  So Mass and prayers at the grave are very important, all of which were done.  Our extended family were there.  I was touched that people called remembering him.

My daughter had brought with her a sky lantern, which she wanted to send up in memory of her brother.  That was done yesterday and it was a beautiful sight.  As it was a very clear night, we were able to watch it flying really high and far, till the light in it finally went out.

It is almost a year since my eldest left us and it is still so hard to think that it is for ever, that never, in the present physical form anyway, will I ever see him again.  There are days when all I want to do is the hug the kids I have left, close oh so close.

This brilliant piece of writing, that seems to have gone viral online, so resonated, because that was a question my son, with all his various illnesses, that he always had.  In fact, the Christmas before he passed on, he told us, and especially his doctor uncle, 'I want to know how long I have left to live, so write me up all the possible medical tests I can do'....  Ah, who would have thought it was just over a month that he had left.  And then again, who knows how much time any of us have left.

Two months over!

We (my husband and I) came here, to Chicagoland, on November 13th and we return home on January 13th--exactly 2 months.  When planning this trip, two months seemed a long enough time to spend with our son and family.  But today, when the time is almost up, it just doesn't seem enough.  But then again, we have to return to our own home and there are grandchildren waiting back in India too.

The thought that upsets me most though, is the thought that I won't be seeing my son again for another year.  All of us parents who have their children in far away places have to bear with that I know.  At least nowadays technology allows us to stay in touch with our children, unlike say, when my brothers came to the US.  Then there was just the phone and that too the Trunk Call, which, for all the trouble it was, was only used for emergencies.  Letters and photographs were all there were.  So we have a great deal to be grateful for now.

Now it is back to work and readjusting to the heat at home :-).  I can't really say back to the grind though.  I think I quite enjoy what I do and anyway, there is just over 2 months left before the long summer vacation begins.  Actually what I dread most about returning home is the many social functions which come up and which cannot be missed.  I am not a sociable extrovert.  So it was doubly great being here and when I looked at pictures of weddings I had missed, I liked the pictures, but most of all I loved that I wasn't there.  Sounds terrible I guess, but there it is.

And so it is bye to Illinois for now.  I hope we come in summer next time, when we can do many more outdoor activities.

 I have experienced my first ever white Christmas and the snowy landscape is beautiful!  I have enjoyed the cold--because we are fortunate enough to have a roof over our heads, with electricity that keeps us warm, and the necessary clothes.  My thoughts and prayers go out to so many people who have to go through this kind of weather without the means of keeping warm enough.
I have enjoyed the experience of snow and the cold, cold weather, though the really deep sub-zero temperatures are a little difficult for us to take.  I have loved looking at the houses decorated for Christmas with the lights shining on the snow. I have watched amazed as sparrows, and pigeons fly around just like in India, in the freezing air.  When returning after a lovely Christmas Eve service (around9.30 pm) I saw a rabbit jumping through the snow and wondered how they all survived.
This has been a good time and our holiday is almost over.  I am so very glad that we did come because I got to spend precious time with my son, which can only happen if we visit him, as his leave is just too short.  It has been a good Christmas.  Now we have less than 3 weeks left for our return and I feel the time has just flown.
Merry Christmas and a happy New year my friends.

So, we are in the US of A and have experienced our first ever sub-zero temps (Centigrade people) and snow fall. and a pre-Thanksgiving lunch.  We will be experiencing the full works of Thanksgiving too this week.
A Happy thanksgiving to all my US friends.