Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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In a lovely visit which took place a year ago September, Adele explained to me that I was her "cousin once removed," which made her daughters my second cousins. This memory strikes me because I think of Adele as being a woman of wisdom and straightforwardness. In her final days, we talked about being strong Haefeli women and about the strength of the female sex in general. She showed us her strength, grace and beauty until the end. I know my mom, Nancy Leigh Macfarlan Johnson, adored Adele and her sister, Mina, and had wonderful memories of singing hymns with them. I was honored to share some of those hymns with Adele in her last full rallying day. She mouthed the words, doing the best she could to get the sound out, despite her oxygen. I was amused and honored that she was able to speak that I had "good pitch." She wasn't missing a trick. She asked pertinent questions about relatives of her visitors, with a compassionate heart, despite her own suffering. At one point, when things got too somber, she said, "Bring on the jokes!" She gave so much of herself right until the end. I am honored to be a relation, and my heart cries for Trish and Carole. I know for sure that Adele now sings with the choir in heaven, along with my mom and Mina, and God smiles for having these noble souls in His kingdom. My only comfort is that my mom joined my dad, as Adele joined her betrothed, lost so long ago. May they live eternally in the love that God first blessed them with on their marriage day.
