My mother showed me how to see the World through magical, mystical eyes... she taught me to see Beauty in the simplest things, to see Meaning and symbolism in the seemingly oddest places! There was often a sense of "that was meant to be... can't you tell?!" as she shared with me her gift of the unconventional...of the philosophical...of the richness of Life... On what turned out to be her last day in her Earthly body, I read this poignant posting by a teacher friend in Doha, Qatar. It spoke to me so deeply despite the fact that the author did not even know that my mother was ill. Who can explain the mysterious beauty of this timing? There is no need for explanation - it was meant to be. I share now the words that were posted, and planted in my brain, and which ring such Truth for me: "Imagine a house with four walls and a roof. If the house burns down, the walls and roof collapse. But the space inside isn't affected. You can hire an architect to design a new house, and after you build it, the space inside still hasn't been affected. By building a house you are only dividing unbounded space into inside and outside. This division is an illusion. The ancient sages said that your body is like that house. It's built at birth and burns down when you die, yet the Akasha, or soul space, remains unchanged; it remains unbounded." (thank you Renee for uncovering this quote) To me, this says it all, and it is how I have been helping myself and my family make sense of our excruciating loss. I tell my boys that their beautiful Nyonya has been released from the shackles of a body that gave out, soaring celestially and looking down on us with a smile on her face and warmth in her heart... The sheer magnitude of the timing of this philosophical discovery is beyond Explanation. This was the last thing I read before I saw my mother's time on Earth come to a physical end. It was meant to be - a sign - a confirmation that Mummy's release was a blessing. I know that she is with us. I shall strive to pass on her Gift for all of us to see signs in everything around us. Peace, Ilana