"Mia" means mine...

I know a little girl, named Mia.  She lives in a happy and magical bubble floating away in circular waves; spinning and  propelling in whimsical motions sparked by love.  Her world is defined by sweetness and the gifts of those who come into this world finely favored by the heavens.  She arrived like a moonbeam delivered from the cool and warm rays of  life into the bosom of a mother and family who long awaited for her coming with joy and anticipation.  Mia was chosen for a life of serendipitous blossoms and eternally crisp Spring mornings that last like days without end.  You see, this is what happens when moonbeams are nurtured by the invigorating sunbeams of love called family.

Mia was welcomed into this world by exceptional people and into an equally exceptional universe.  By virtue of her name alone, Mia, is defined by a sense of belonging; to each of those who love her.  “Mia”, means “mine.”  With this onomastic she happily belongs to everyone and no one.  Her life will be no exception to the trials that mark each life.  She will learn quickly that, “to much who is given, much is expected.” (Luke)

For five years, Mia has lived in a time of grace unrivalled by the happily ever part of the life of any Disney Princess.  Today, her world is changing, she is marked by loss and she will learn to be brave.  Today, she will not wake up to her usual familial breakfast or plan a play date with the most amazing mother, daughter and friend.  She will learn to live and embrace the perfect memory of a life that filled her being with generosity of heart, love and excitement, Geidy.   Today, Geidy, her mother, has made her final journey home. Today and every day Mia will discover layer by layer, just as you peal the skin of an onion, what this will mean in the days and years to come.  

Having experienced great loss as a child, I have always found great comfort knowing my loved ones have always made a home inside me and they are somehow embracing me from a divine and perfect arena that I will visit one day. It is my greatest desire and hope that Mia will come to know that Mommy will, in fact, see her fantasy world of illustrations filled with color, clouds and characters and that Mommy is watching over her from a celestial place where the sunbeams that glow are actually coming down from a place that is closer to the sun and the heavens.  Geidy was the radiant sunbeam that could light a room as she approached and she could also blind you with her moonbeams in the the night.  She was the North Star to everyone who knew her and she helped so many in need of her comfort and skills.  There are far too many ways to describe beautiful, animated, wonderful Geidy. Truth be told, words will never describe her justly.  I can only submit that once you spent a few minutes in Geidy’s presence you came away feeling good about yourself  and her.  This was her gift.

The day after Christmas 2011 began with a barrage of emails…the e-chains of forwarding and replies were all filled with shock and horror.  After reading and re-reading comment after comment, I was not surprised at the global impact of the news of Geidy’s departure as the entire family is universally loved.  As the day came to an end, I followed the feeds with anticipation of any information regarding a church service and curiously enough I saw her name spelled, at minimum 27 different ways, but it just didn’t matter. I think she might have found that humorous.  She was special right down to the spelling of her name. As a community we were dumbfounded and in disbelief.  

On days such as these, I scramble a bit and I typically reach hard and fast into scripture, literature and meditation. I am not any closer to any great universal understanding regarding life and death. I did, however, come across the following: "the Psalmist addresses the Lord, we take his words as our own to encourage and challenge us: Indeed you love truth in the heart; then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.”  

In time, we may or may not have a greater understanding of the event surrounding December 27, 2011.   We pray, at best for acceptance and maybe wisdom, but we will rely and navigate this time of separation together on a breeze called  faith and promise.