Anyone who has loitered on my blogsite — When the River Won’t Flow — within the last eight months, knows that the death of my dearest love has broken my heart.

• grief is a hard taskmaster
• my tears flow too frequently
• sleep often shuns me

The plague’s intervention has further isolated people in varying degrees from one another. A long day’s travel from my home, sweet balm was waiting — a new grandchild. This last weekend that handful of a lad, along with his whole family, came to visit.

I remember thinking when I was a new mom that my back would break carrying my new baby. Instead, I learned that I was in basic training, so that as my baby grew, so did my muscle strength. As I held my new grandchild, it slowly dawned on me that it had been many years since I had that basic training. For the last few days, my back has ached, and my ankles got swollen.

Yesterday morning we three (alternating the two not on baby/ grandbaby duty) loaded their rented trailer with furniture belonging to my daughter. Finally, late morning, they were ready to start their trip home. A short while after they headed for home, I got busy with the laundry. As I started the laundry, the required steps to carry dirty laundry upstairs or bring many of the clean items down, my ankles and back grumbled loudly.

Today, I am celebrating the delightful healing gift to my heart. Aches and pains, even the life-altering pain of grief, are never the whole story. Love comes in many shapes and sizes.

• the arrival of my baby girl long ago was a cause for great rejoicing
• the joyful appearance of a grandbaby girl some years ago brought delight to my dear husband and me
• the joyous news of a new grandbaby boy earlier this year further delighted us

There is no substitute for getting to hold that bundle! So a big shout out to my dear daughter and son-in-law. I can’t thank you enough for making the trek across several states to come and spend the weekend with me. Your visit was balm to my grieving heart! The time together caused happiness to rain down on this home and lighten the weight of grief upon my heart.  I love you four beyond measure. I thank the dear Lord that we had this visit and that you arrived safely back at your own home.  This woman’s grieving heart has been much cheered.

Thanks be to God!