A MOTHER’S GRIEF

 

“Take heart Mami Meli.”

“It is well.” Those were the words she had been hearing for the past one month.

Take heart? She scoffed. Where is the heart?

          She stood there staring at her daughter’s picture, Melissa. Melissa was a five-year-old jovial kid. She had the loveliest smile and the warmest hug. 

“Mummy, mummy, see what I drew for you.” Melissa would say cheerily. 

          She recalled all the times when she would read her bedtime stories, they would pray together and play together. Melissa was her best friend, her only fruit. Melissa looked so much like her late father, energetic, peaceful and lovely, but now they were both gone. She had sworn to take care of Melissa till her last breathe, but she failed.

The signs Lord, they were there but I didn’t see it. Or maybe I played blind. She tried to warn me, she really did, but I failed her. She screamed hysterically as she crawled down on the floor enveloping Melissa’s picture to her breast. 

          September 25^th 2016, a day she would never forget. The day her worst nightmare came to fruition. She could still feel the rush of anxiety that flowed through her veins when she heard the words that every parent dreaded, “we found her corpse.” That was one week after Melissa went missing from school. She was tight up at work that day, so she had asked Roman, her husband’s brother to go pick Melissa up from school. That was the worst mistake she ever did, for Melissa never made it home that day. 

Roman, you monster! She recalled how Melissa will cringe every time she saw him. She thought it was just a minor fear, but it wasn’t. He had been abusing Melissa and she was too busy with work to care.

I failed her Lord and I failed you. Let Roman pay Lord, let him pay for all the hurt he caused me and my daughter.

“Forgive him.” These were the words she’d been hearing ever since Melissa’s body was found in his home. He pleaded for her forgiveness, but how could she forgive the one who took her only source of joy away? He was jailed, but that wasn’t enough, he needed to pay with his life.

Forgive him Lord? After all the things he’s done? I can never forgive him. Never!

“Forgive so you may be forgiven.” 

Lord this is hard. I don’t know how to. Please help me Lord, the burden is too much. I loved Melissa so much but now she is gone forever. How do I move on?

“I will restore you but first of all, you have to forgive him and forgive yourself.” The voice said again.

I give up!

“I forgive you Roman. This is hard but I am setting you free from my heart.” She said to him in prison.

          It’s been one year since Melissa’s death, but she was finally feeling free. Forgiveness indeed, makes one free.

 

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

1) How do you grief? 

2) What is your point of view on forgiveness?