On November 1, 2024, Juju and I set our grief aside, faced our fears, and gave or love and strength to a family in need. We attended Mrs. F’s funeral. We arrived a little late to the funeral home, so we stood against the wall. Tears came easy. This sweet lady was our neighbor once, and in a sense, watched Juju grow. We needed to be there. We needed to show our love. And this is where clarity finally came, and peace quickly followed.
The pastor, who is also one of Mrs. F’s sons, was at the pulpit reading scripture. He suddenly looked up and in our direction. And we heard the message that we needed. “Mama says your baby is okay.” Juju and I looked at each other with shock. We heard it, and we cherish it. And we decided to be with the family until the end.
We found Mike outside. He said his mom was in the family car. We promised we would meet them there. We joined the funeral procession. And we stayed.
When it was time, we made our way towards Mike and his mom, Ms. R. When I hugged Mike, he was shaking, and I took took a deep breath, and did what I do best. I took in some of his pain to lighten the load, and felt when Juju did the same. When I hugged Ms. R, the pain, that stabbing pain. The pain that is meant to destroy you was wrapping itself around her. And I will not let that happen. So I took it in, and embraced it. And as Juju handed her a tanzanite crystal, I released.
We had prepared for the worst, and received clarity and peace. It is beautiful. I can breathe. The tightness in my body is no longer there. We heard sirens and did not go back. It rained, and I cherished it. But we needed one more thing. A name to redefine our positions. There are names for those who lose their parents, and those who lose their spouses. But what about us?
I meditated on my question for a few hours before I began my research. And once again, I was guided to where I needed to be.
What I found:
AMARA in Sanskrit means Eternal. In Latin, it means Everlasting. In different African languages, it means Grace. In Spanish, it is LOVE. Emrys means all those things and more. So in our healing journey, I now give Juju the title of Amara, and I claim the title of Grand Amara. We were blessed with the opportunity to care for a Heavenly Being. And we learned the true meaning of unconditional love.
