The Vision

My mother died five years ago. I lived with her at the time of her death. Shirley was not a religious person nor was she given much to philosophizing so when I asked her "how is this for you?" (referring to dying) her response was characteristic. "I don't know, but I'll let you know when I know!" She spent her dying days living. Her home was open for visitors and pinochle players, a game she took up once hospice care was the new life. Friends from her many walks of life came often. Family surrounded her.

The night she left us I slept in her bed with her. My brothers had surrounded her with candles and we had bathed her and put rose oil on her body. Two hours before she stopped breathing I was surrounded in light. Unlike the light from a bulb or the sun, this light was shimmering with almost strand-like crystalline lines undulating and filling an area around four feet in diameter in a cylindrical sort of shape. I wasn't sure what to make of it.

I later spoke with a woman who had studied this phenomenon, She told me it was a textbook view of the life force. Some call it spirit. In any case I felt better for knowing that the incredibly beautiful vision was my mother, leaving her body. Indeed she let me know in the most elegant way I could ever imagine what dying was for her.

I have created many fiber art pieces in continued attempts to capture the image. Like many of the art pieces I end up creating I saw in a flash a three dimensional walk through piece. Conversation with two dear friends brought forth the idea of a group project.  Walking In Love Installation was born!