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| A Bulb in the Sky |
On Saturday night, Nicole cried herself to sleep and dreamed of the garden she would plant as a tribute to her
friend.
The next, Nicole looked towards the sky awed by the radiance of the blue. It seemed as if God was smiling on her
on this very special spring day. She looked at the garden she had planted last year; it looked so beautiful blowing in the
gentle breeze. She thought back to the year before when everything in her life was shattered.
It was such a cold day last year when her friend Katy got sick. She couldn't even remember it being so cold
before. Katy looked so small lying in her bed with her favorite old comforter. The red in it made her seem more pale and
tired. Nicole smiled when she thought of the fun she had with Katy during their summers at the shore. They woke with
the sun and stayed out until the moon began to show her face. The beach was always full of wonderful surprises and
treasures. Katy found the most incredible little gifts to give Nicole while they were there. They had been friends since
they were babies. Now they were ten and Katy was dying. It confused Nicole so much; she just couldn't make sense of
it.
"Mom, I just don't understand any of this. What did we do so wrong that Katy has to die to punish us both?"
"Katy hasn't done anything wrong and you aren't being punished. God doesn't punish his children with death.
God doesn't punish his children at all. He just calls them home to have peace, love and absolute joy."
"She had joy here mom. She had love. Her parents love her, I love her and all of her friends love her. That should
be enough. Why does God have to take it away?"
"God isn't taking it away from her. He is giving it to her. And He isn't taking her away from us. He leaves us with
the wonderful memories of her life."
"I don't want memories. I want Katy! I hate this, it is so wrong."
Before her mom can say anything more Nicole ran from the room. She goes to Katy's house but can't bring
herself to go in. She doesn't want to see death anymore today and she isn't ready to say goodbye. Not now. Maybe
not ever.
Nicole walked to her secret spot near the pond. It was just behind the grouping of trees to the left of the swing
set. It was a small hollow area where she watched everyone play without being noticed. She and Katy used to go there
a lot, before she got sick. They talked about going to college, getting married and having kids. Nicole wanted to be a
veterinarian and Katy was going to be an astronomer. They would spend hours staring at the night sky with Katy
pointing out different clusters of stars. They were so beautiful. They would say they planted the bulbs in the garden
between their houses and the shooting stars would come from there in the spring.
When they were small Katy followed Nicole everywhere. They were the shadows for each other, always together.
Nicole didn't know how to handle Katy being gone from her life. The special place near the pond wouldn't be special
anymore, just very sad. She was sitting; thinking this would be the last time she ever came here when a beautiful
yellow-white light shone above the trees. She stood up to get a better look, to see which kid was out playing games on
her. As she stood she saw a beautiful woman with flowing red hair and white gown smiling at her. “I must be dreaming”,
she thought.
"You are not dreaming Nicole. I am here to help you. My name is Abigail and I'm an Angel."
"You're lying. There isn't any such thing as angels. Grown-ups just tell kids that to make them feel safer and
happier. It is just a big lie."
"I am not a lie. God has sent Angels to every person in the world to help them and love them when they need it."
"I don't need an Angel, Katy does since she is dying. An Angel can't help me."
"An Angel can help you Nicole. You're in pain because of the loss of your very best friend. I can help you
understand why God is taking her. She has a mission, to help others as she has helped you. She can bring joy and
laughter to other children of the world who can't find it anywhere else. She has been chosen to be an Angel and help
God make others have joy in their life. She has taught you many things about happiness and now you can pass it on to
others just as she will."
Nicole pauses to think about what this Angel had just told her.
"But why is God taking her away from me. I need her as much as other children do. I want her to be with me. We
have never been apart and this is going to be forever. I don't want this to happen. I hurt too much, I will never be
happy again."
"I promise you Nicole that you will be happy again but it may take some time. You have to heal first. You have to
accept that Katy is going somewhere better and more beautiful than you could ever imagine. She will see all the stars
and you will see them too. And every time you look at the night sky you will think of Katy and feel the love and
happiness in your heart."
Sobbing and falling to the ground Nicole tries to accept what the Angel has told her but it is very hard. She needs
to see Katy. She tells the Angel she will think about all of this but needs more time.
She runs with all of her might to Katy's house for a visit. Katy is sitting up in bed finishing her dinner. She smiles
when she sees Nicole come into the room.
"I have been waiting for you. I had the most incredible dream this afternoon. It was so beautiful. There was an
Angel with long red hair and a white gown named Abigail telling me about heaven."
"Katy, what did you say?!"
"I know it sounds crazy Nicole but it felt so real. Why are you crying?"
"Katy, I can't believe what you are telling me. I went to the park and saw the Angel. She talked to me and told me
that God has special plans for you and I should be happy. I thought it was just a dream or, worse, a nightmare. She
was telling me how I will look at the sky at night and think of you and the good memories have shared.”
"She told me that my time was almost up, Nicole, but not to be sad because I will be somewhere full of peace. I will
miss you too much to be happy. I am not ready to go but I am having such a hard time fighting now. It hurts so bad
and I am ready to sleep."
"I know it hurts Katy and I am not ready for you to be gone from me but if the time is now you have to go. I will
never forget you and the special things we have done. I swear with all my heart that I won't ever forget you. I will tell
my children and grandchildren about my very best friend. I love you and will not say goodbye; just that I will see you
again one day. Never forget me and keep looking at the stars."
"Nicole even in death I will not forget you. You are my best friend. When you see the stars I will be waving to you.
Promise me one thing."
"Anything, Katy"
"When I am gone will you plant bulbs for the daffodils and tulips between our houses? That way you will never
run out of shooting stars or memories of me."
"I will plant the most beautiful shooting star garden and think of you every time I look at the flowers and at the
shooting stars in the sky. It's late and you need to get some sleep. I'll come over before I leave for school. I love you.
Sleep well and dream of Angels."
"I love you Nicole and see you soon."
That was the last time that she saw Katy alive. She died that night peacefully in her sleep. Abigail the Angel came
to Nicole to tell her that she was gone but safe. Nicole cried herself to sleep and dreamed of the garden she would plant
as a tribute to her friend.
friend.
The next, Nicole looked towards the sky awed by the radiance of the blue. It seemed as if God was smiling on her
on this very special spring day. She looked at the garden she had planted last year; it looked so beautiful blowing in the
gentle breeze. She thought back to the year before when everything in her life was shattered.
It was such a cold day last year when her friend Katy got sick. She couldn't even remember it being so cold
before. Katy looked so small lying in her bed with her favorite old comforter. The red in it made her seem more pale and
tired. Nicole smiled when she thought of the fun she had with Katy during their summers at the shore. They woke with
the sun and stayed out until the moon began to show her face. The beach was always full of wonderful surprises and
treasures. Katy found the most incredible little gifts to give Nicole while they were there. They had been friends since
they were babies. Now they were ten and Katy was dying. It confused Nicole so much; she just couldn't make sense of
it.
"Mom, I just don't understand any of this. What did we do so wrong that Katy has to die to punish us both?"
"Katy hasn't done anything wrong and you aren't being punished. God doesn't punish his children with death.
God doesn't punish his children at all. He just calls them home to have peace, love and absolute joy."
"She had joy here mom. She had love. Her parents love her, I love her and all of her friends love her. That should
be enough. Why does God have to take it away?"
"God isn't taking it away from her. He is giving it to her. And He isn't taking her away from us. He leaves us with
the wonderful memories of her life."
"I don't want memories. I want Katy! I hate this, it is so wrong."
Before her mom can say anything more Nicole ran from the room. She goes to Katy's house but can't bring
herself to go in. She doesn't want to see death anymore today and she isn't ready to say goodbye. Not now. Maybe
not ever.
Nicole walked to her secret spot near the pond. It was just behind the grouping of trees to the left of the swing
set. It was a small hollow area where she watched everyone play without being noticed. She and Katy used to go there
a lot, before she got sick. They talked about going to college, getting married and having kids. Nicole wanted to be a
veterinarian and Katy was going to be an astronomer. They would spend hours staring at the night sky with Katy
pointing out different clusters of stars. They were so beautiful. They would say they planted the bulbs in the garden
between their houses and the shooting stars would come from there in the spring.
When they were small Katy followed Nicole everywhere. They were the shadows for each other, always together.
Nicole didn't know how to handle Katy being gone from her life. The special place near the pond wouldn't be special
anymore, just very sad. She was sitting; thinking this would be the last time she ever came here when a beautiful
yellow-white light shone above the trees. She stood up to get a better look, to see which kid was out playing games on
her. As she stood she saw a beautiful woman with flowing red hair and white gown smiling at her. “I must be dreaming”,
she thought.
"You are not dreaming Nicole. I am here to help you. My name is Abigail and I'm an Angel."
"You're lying. There isn't any such thing as angels. Grown-ups just tell kids that to make them feel safer and
happier. It is just a big lie."
"I am not a lie. God has sent Angels to every person in the world to help them and love them when they need it."
"I don't need an Angel, Katy does since she is dying. An Angel can't help me."
"An Angel can help you Nicole. You're in pain because of the loss of your very best friend. I can help you
understand why God is taking her. She has a mission, to help others as she has helped you. She can bring joy and
laughter to other children of the world who can't find it anywhere else. She has been chosen to be an Angel and help
God make others have joy in their life. She has taught you many things about happiness and now you can pass it on to
others just as she will."
Nicole pauses to think about what this Angel had just told her.
"But why is God taking her away from me. I need her as much as other children do. I want her to be with me. We
have never been apart and this is going to be forever. I don't want this to happen. I hurt too much, I will never be
happy again."
"I promise you Nicole that you will be happy again but it may take some time. You have to heal first. You have to
accept that Katy is going somewhere better and more beautiful than you could ever imagine. She will see all the stars
and you will see them too. And every time you look at the night sky you will think of Katy and feel the love and
happiness in your heart."
Sobbing and falling to the ground Nicole tries to accept what the Angel has told her but it is very hard. She needs
to see Katy. She tells the Angel she will think about all of this but needs more time.
She runs with all of her might to Katy's house for a visit. Katy is sitting up in bed finishing her dinner. She smiles
when she sees Nicole come into the room.
"I have been waiting for you. I had the most incredible dream this afternoon. It was so beautiful. There was an
Angel with long red hair and a white gown named Abigail telling me about heaven."
"Katy, what did you say?!"
"I know it sounds crazy Nicole but it felt so real. Why are you crying?"
"Katy, I can't believe what you are telling me. I went to the park and saw the Angel. She talked to me and told me
that God has special plans for you and I should be happy. I thought it was just a dream or, worse, a nightmare. She
was telling me how I will look at the sky at night and think of you and the good memories have shared.”
"She told me that my time was almost up, Nicole, but not to be sad because I will be somewhere full of peace. I will
miss you too much to be happy. I am not ready to go but I am having such a hard time fighting now. It hurts so bad
and I am ready to sleep."
"I know it hurts Katy and I am not ready for you to be gone from me but if the time is now you have to go. I will
never forget you and the special things we have done. I swear with all my heart that I won't ever forget you. I will tell
my children and grandchildren about my very best friend. I love you and will not say goodbye; just that I will see you
again one day. Never forget me and keep looking at the stars."
"Nicole even in death I will not forget you. You are my best friend. When you see the stars I will be waving to you.
Promise me one thing."
"Anything, Katy"
"When I am gone will you plant bulbs for the daffodils and tulips between our houses? That way you will never
run out of shooting stars or memories of me."
"I will plant the most beautiful shooting star garden and think of you every time I look at the flowers and at the
shooting stars in the sky. It's late and you need to get some sleep. I'll come over before I leave for school. I love you.
Sleep well and dream of Angels."
"I love you Nicole and see you soon."
That was the last time that she saw Katy alive. She died that night peacefully in her sleep. Abigail the Angel came
to Nicole to tell her that she was gone but safe. Nicole cried herself to sleep and dreamed of the garden she would plant
as a tribute to her friend.