The Universe is more than we can imagine

I am at Roman Nose State Park in Oklahoma on the morning of my mother’s death. My two sisters are with her and I am unaware of the events as they unfold.

I awake early in our cabin with Betty, we were just going to visit.

I walk to where an artesian spring exists from a cliff (if you can ever go, do... it is a special place). The spring creates a stream, a creek that flows gently eastward. I wade in and visit the release of six-hundred gallons of water per minute falling from a high plains aquifer that shoots outward and awakens my body as a shower that is so sweet that I repeat, repeat, and repeat, the plunge beneath falling water. It felt real good. I think it took courage of sorts, but it wasn't real cold. My parents first brought me here when I was young and I had some kind of great parents and they had courage as well.

I then walk back towards my cabin where a loving support group of Betty’s Oklahoma based relatives await me. They love us and care about what awaits Betty and I as we prepare to visit Winnie this morning, as Winnie was doing very poorly.

As I return to the cabin I find a park trail I have not visited, it leads to a WPA structure. I venture down the trail to see it before I reach the cabin.

As I walk I see the artesian-stream crossing beneath a bridge. Then, as I get closer, a young girl, perhaps thirteen-years old, climbs from the stream onto the bridge. She is tall, in blue-jeans and flannel shirt and she is covered with water, as I am. She has an adventure going on. I do not want to alarm her.

I raise my hand and I say, “How!” I am careful not to look at her as to not scare her as I pass. She is looking at the WPA construction as I am. I turn slightly and say, “Have you seen the streams where this water comes out as springs in the mountain? I just came from there.”

She says no with enthusiasm and so I tell her to go up the hill to a road for a short distance and follow the stream West. She runs and says thanks.

I turn to continue back to my cabin and I see her footprints are of bare feet. This portion of the stream is filled with rock and fallen limbs. Where I sent her is level streambed and easy passage. The last thing my mother asked was to be pushed down the hall in her wheelchair so she could feel the wind in her face.

When I reach the road I see the girl’s enthusiastic quest as she runs up the hill and toward the horizon to find this new and mystical place. Or, that is how I saw and knew her. She was looking for that ultimate end of the stream she had been struggling through… It was just ahead, with adventure, but easier. Her hair is wet, her clothes are wet, she has traveled a passage and now she ran free, bare footed, and all to a beautiful place. I think this is cool, because I have just come from there, and standing under the waterfall at Roman Nose is way cool. I expect she will find it; I feel happy for this young girl.

Betty and I then gather our things from the cabin and I invite her family to find the springs with me and wade in them. They enjoy the springs and the park and say they say they will return. I passed it on, this pleasure; they will pass it on.

Betty and I leave the Park and drive to where I have cell phone connection. I call Winnie and I’m told by my sister's daughter that she has passed thirty-minutes earlier.

I am not sad. She no longer suffers. She had found the strength to move-on, to run barefoot to a more peaceful and mystical existence.

The next morning I was looking in a box of pictures. I see two that were from when my mother first met my father who was a WWII submarine sailor, riding on a bus, and Winnie had a camera. Either she said, take my picture, or he said, take my picture, but on the back of one were her first words written to Dean when she mailed the photo to him. The other showed a striking image of someone older than 13, but who had the same hair as the young girl.

The Universe is more that we can imagine.

reply to post by zipcode80013


You are so right my friend, the universe is more than we can imagine and filled with so many wonders that we will never know.

That was a great tale and one that undoubtedly will be played out many times in the future. That's the great thing about this wonderful world we live in. Man can make all the gadgets to entertain, save time and to assist with labour, but the real beauty is in nature and you cannot beat the feeling as being as one with it.

Your Mum's time had come to move on, but that very day you witnessed innocent youth experiencing this being as one. Peace.

reply to post by zipcode80013


Thank you for that story Zip. It is a story of great beauty.
And to think, those footsteps through the streambed were just her first few steps into eternity.
I think that this universe that we see all around us is just a tiny piece of God's majestic creation.
Just look at the beauty and grandeur of this universe, and imagine what's on the other side.
Be happy for your mother, she probably wouldn't come back if she could.

Blessings,
Noro

My mother's passing was one of the most peacefull events I have accepted in this life. I almost look forward to my own passing. I'd just like to make it to that transistion we are closing in on where there is some event, transformation, end and beginning, that seems to be pre-spoken in 2012.

I've had several events that were not of this normal world. It gives me hope.