Life's Pleasures

Near the end she couldn't eat.  The ember was still glowing brightly but would never be the conflagration that had enveloped her throughout her life.  The light she shed on her family and friends was dimming.  Her room at the hospice was filled with well wishers and those who wished to be enveloped in her grace one last time.  When awake, it was too much effort to talk, so she basked in the presence of those she loved, then nodded off again.  Her pleasures were minimal now, reduced to the favorites of a life long lived.

"Mom, would you like some ice cream?"  She nodded, the spark flaring brightly.

Lisa went to the hospice kitchen and returned with chocolate, another time vanilla, still another time strawberry.  Her favorites were peanut butter cup or black walnut, not available here, but no matter.  Lisa sat on the side of the bed and fed her spoonfuls of whatever flavor had been on hand.  The nurses, too, took to giving her medications mixed with ice cream, the spoonful of sugar approach.

One morning on the way to see her, Lisa and Laurie saw a candy store, Speach Family Candy Shoppe, a couple of blocks away.  Stopping, they purchased the house signature fudge, exotically rich chocolate.  They fed slivers and small chunks to her, placing them in her mouth, sometimes she would feed herself.  The fudge would melt as she lay there enjoying the smooth sensation envelope her taste buds, ecstasy in every bite.  That's all you really needed.  

She was sleeping longer and longer now, her breaths shallow and labored, she fought and fought, then stopped, the light fading to an afterglow.

After the funeral we gathered at Laurie's house, sisters, husbands, grandchildren.  A dozen strong, we were gathering in the dining room.  Lisa suggested we should have ice cream sundaes after dinner.  Off went the sisters to get the mixing's for sundaes; two flavors of ice cream, a sherbert, syrups, nuts, cherries.  Everyone built their own sundae.  We raised our spoons in a salute to Mom, "Here's to you Mom (Grandma)!"  We dug in, laughing, talking, remembering, throwing smiling glances at each other.  We could feel her there laughing with us.  It reminded the daughters of earlier family days when their joys were shared in similar fashion.  Now the family had expanded and extended, every soul there touched by her existence, influenced by her will.  It was an appropriate tribute to the woman.