37/365- Through Time and Space

Digital Art by Tracey Grumbach

“Whoever said that loss gets easier with time was a liar. Here's what really happens: The spaces between the times you miss them grow longer. Then, when you do remember to miss them again, it's still with a stabbing pain to the heart. And you have guilt. Guilt because it's been too long since you missed them last.”

― Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, The 13th Sign

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I turned and saw him standing there next to my brother with his arms held out to me, arms formed in a downward but wide open V, palms facing me, inviting me to him. I ran, stunned at his presence, and threw myself into his embrace. After a long hug, I looked up into his face, his countenance younger than when he left, his expression soft and calm.

"How is this possible?  How are you here?" I blurted out to him, heart pounding both with excitement and a knowing dread.
"I've been working." came his simple reply with a slight smile on his lips.  He looked around at the crowd of people milling around about us and he said, "I can't stay here. There are too many people." He patted me on the back with his huge hands as if telling me it was time to step away from his embrace

"But," I started to protest as I stepped backward from him.

He turned and without hesitation, walked away from me. He turned once, several steps into his retreat and said, "I'll see you soon."

And then he was gone and I opened my eyes.

Thank you for visiting me, Dad, through time and space. I am so thankful to have had this brief time with you. It has been a while.

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For those who don't know, my father passed away suddenly in 2014. This is the first "encounter" I've had with him since the year he died when I had two similar incidents.

xo

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About this digital art-

Flying home on the plane from Arizona I was thinking about time and space and how, when you fly west to east, it is a bit like time traveling. At least it is as close to time traveling as we will probably ever get here on earth. As I was contemplating this idea, I was staring out onto the wing of my "time machine" watching the light from the setting sun flicker on the wings. The sky turned cotton candy pink and blue and the moon reflected off the shiny silver of the wing. It was captivating. So, I created this digital art piece to remember that stunning moment, the moment I traveled through time and through space.