I dreaded the task ahead of me and had been procrastinating for too long. Today was the day that I would finally handle the business of changing my Dad’s primary death benefit recipient from my mother to his secondary heirs. Why was this so hard? It seems that everything requiring the permanent removal of my mother’s name, whether it be from a checking account or a credit card has been grievous. To be honest, the thought of dealing with a customer service representative this morning was as welcome as a root canal. The inevitable series of questions, not to mention the usual cold demeanor of the stranger on the other end of the telephone was already setting me on the defense. A difficult chore was only to be more challenging when discussing a personal topic with someone who had no emotional investment. I dialed the number and prepared myself for a voice that would likely grate on my still-wounded heart.

I was clearly not prepared for Judy. The voice was soft but clear. Her question, “What can I do to help you, Deborah?” not only took me by surprise, but her tender tone made me feel vulnerable. I gave her the pertinent information needed to process my request, but once that was accomplished and she informed me that everything was now in order, she began to speak as though she knew my very heart. “Deborah, tell me about your Dad. How is he handling the loss of your mother?” When I told her that they had shared 72 years of marriage, she gasped. “Oh, how wonderful!” I proceeded to tell her about Dad’s dementia and how he didn’t remember my mother, nor recall much of anything regarding his family. Again, Judy responded with tender words that soothed my soul. “God has placed a gentle covering over his mind to protect him from the grief of your mother’s passing.” She continued with a confident air, and I found myself wondering how she could speak so freely in a workplace environment. “Deborah, my mother passed away almost two years ago, and I miss her every day. But here is what I want to tell you. Our mothers have simply changed addresses, having moved to their heavenly home. They both traded tired bodies for a glorious place where there is no pain.” I cried without reservation. “Deborah, here is the best news. We will see them again.”

After our precious twenty-minute conversation, Judy said how much she enjoyed visiting with me. Following a tearful goodbye, I couldn’t help but wonder who I had been so privileged to visit with.