My heart is heavy, my body exhausted, my emotions are raw, my mind is cloudy but my spirit is beyond my comprehension. I can't believe that I have lost my sister Irene. It's very surreal...still! But I want to stay in this moment and absorb all these emotions, especially the spiritual ones.
When we realized that Irene's cancer was back, our family decided to fast and pray for "massive miracles", and we did fervently. Miracles began to unfold, but not in the way we imagined. Irene's health continued to decline and we all pressed forward in suport of her desires and decisions regarding treatment, helping in any way we could and being there at a moment's notice, when she asked. "I need my sisters," she said two days before her passing.
Mom suffered from cancer as well and died in 1998. Our family was blown apart. "The door was cracked and the adversary blew it wide open," a dear loved one explained. For nearly ten years, we have suffered as a sibling unit.
Mom suffered from cancer as well and died in 1998. Our family was blown apart. "The door was cracked and the adversary blew it wide open," a dear loved one explained. For nearly ten years, we have suffered as a sibling unit.
The night before Irene passed, I wrote a letter to Peter to be given to him at a special time during the trek that the young men and young women in our ward will experience this summer. I decided to share with him the things that I have learned about death, not knowing that she would be gone in just fifteen hours or so. I wrote:
"As a child, death frightened me. As you know, I didn't have the gospel in my life. I didn't know anything more than that there was a God and Jesus was the Christ. When my Dad died when I was sixteen (just a year older than you are now), I learned the importance of fathers and mothers and how each has a vital role in a family. I also learned that death heals."
"When Yia Yia (my mother) died, I learned about perspective. With all the contention and disagreements between the sisters, it was a very difficult time. But with time, I came to understand that each sister saw things from her own place and her own eyes...all were wrong and I suppose, all were right."
"As Irene suffers in her final days, I am still learning and the final lesson may not be known yet. What I do know is that it has brought healing to our family."
Irene's daughter Jeannette told me this morning that a spiritual healer (of sorts), told Irene a while back that she would be a "healer". Irene was perplexed, telling her daughter that she wasn't capable of doing that. But today, I believe we understand just what she meant. The miracles have been massive, as we have petitioned, but in His way. We have witnessed "healing", but not in the way we understood. Irene has been an instrument in the Lord's hands in bringing the Damigos sisters together and herein lies the lesson to be learned...the atonement heals. Thank you for your example of this great gift Irene and for planting seeds of greatness. May we learn to follow in your's and the Savior's footsteps that we too may find peace as I'm certain you have found it in your last days on this earth.
Now, your blessings await you, Irene. Your light will be greatly missed, but we know that you will be very busy doing the Lord's work and will be able to assist your family even greater from beyond the veil. Hug and kiss Mom and Dad for me. 'Till we meet again, my dear sister.
With love...Marcella
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