My Sis’s Angel

I first met my “sis” when I was two years old. My family moved into our new house in Alhambra, California two doors away from Kathleen’s family. There were lots of kids in the neighborhood, so we always had playmates. Over the years, Kathleen and I remained good friends. 

Suzanne Van Clief, Diane Graham, Kathleen Murphy, Susie Tabulara, me, Carol Provinse

She was my maid-of-honor when I got married, and I was her matron-of-honor. 

1965 Wedding Kathleen, me, Larry, Virgil Thomas

On June 18, 2020, I received a message from Kathleen’s husband: “After a month-long illness, Kathleen entered eternity early this morning at Huntington Hospital. 75 years 9 months.”

She had been hospitalized after many months of physical difficulties. I got to speak with her a few days before this message. She was upbeat and talked a lot about going home and all the things she intended to do when she got there. She went home, but not to her earthly home.

We shared many interests, but one of them was our love of angels. We both had LOTS of them. Nearly every room in my home has angels in it somewhere. Many rooms have multiples. This is the secretary in the entrance. There are also more in the entry and the living room. One of my guest rooms is full of them.

A couple of these were gifts from my daughter. Most others were from friends. 

Two belonged to dear friends, now deceased.

We promised Kathleen we would spread a few of her ashes in Ireland. We plan to do it soon.

Yesterday, we met her widower to receive the ashes. In addition to those, he brought me some other items that were hers. Among them was an angel. “I know you also collected these and thought you might like to have this one.”

I was delighted to receive it. It now sits in my downstairs guest bath. This one is Baccarat crystal and sits on a lighted base. I love the way it looks, and I will always think of my own angel in Heaven every time I see it. What a thoughtful and precious gift.