If you’ve ever had the pleasure of standing near a stream of rushing water, you know the wonderful music that the water creates as it splashes and slaps against the stones.  And when a single stone is removed, the water’s music changes ever so slightly and a different melody emerges.

Our mother was a kind and funny little woman. She spent her entire life tending to wayward children and nurturing ailing animals.  Once she rescued a sick piglet and nursed the animal back to health.  As time passed, the piglet matured into a very large hog that Mom allowed to sleep on the front porch.  The hog, confusing himself for a dog, escorted my siblings to the school bus in the morning and he greeted them at the bus in the afternoon when they returned home from school.  Mom loved that fat old hog, and the hog probably loved Mom.  Our mom was just that kind of a lady---loved by all.

Mom was diagnosed with cancer in her early 60’s and she endured grueling surgeries and chemotherapy until her frail little body could not take any more.  At the age of 62, she passed away, leaving behind a large grieving family and many loving friends.

The water’s music changed on that day in December when Mom’s stone was removed from the stream.  Today the cascading waters and remaining stones continue to create beautiful music together; but if you listen very carefully, you can hear the lull of a silenced voice in the stream that once housed our mother’s stone.

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