This Blessed Burden

Well they're gone. They were here for four days this time, now they are returning to New York State.

We planned this Christmas season with care and anticipation--my sister Rachel and her husband were to come with there babies, as well as my aforementioned sister Sarah and her husband and offsping. My serviceman brother Nathan was also here on leave. I can say now that it must have been providence that took him away from us-- back across the country just in time. Believe me, I was sad at the time but now for his sake I am thankful for his "escape". The events of the very next day would not have been pleasant to awake to--as we did.

Now that I have my readers prepared, I will attempt to explain the cryptic language of the past paragraph. A few days before the turning of the New Year, my little niece, Mary came down with a flu that involved much heaving, hurling and more unmentionable distresses. She was considered "over it" when the whole family gathered on January first for our gift exchange. Unfortunately brother-in-law, Joel was doomed to catch the ailment from her that very night. Sunday morning was to see his wife laid out with the same. As they had been staying off the premesis we naturally thought that we were reasonable in our expectation to be passed over. This isn't Egypt and its not passover, but maybe blood on our door might have helped.

We made it till the wee hours of Monday morning. I was awakened to the news that Mom, Mark, and my niece Katie had all sucombed during the night. Anna was at work for no more than two hours when she also found it nessecary to come home and crash. By now the only adults left standing were Sarah, Ben, and myself. We cared for the infirm as best we could--made runs to town for food and whatever else needed and were cheered constantly by dear baby Andrew's unstinting happy healthiness. We made a pact among the three of us not to be laid out and thought that it couldn't get worse. Alas! It was not to be. The next morning Ben greeted me with the news that Sarah was down. DOWN. Two left standing. We wondered which one of us would be next.

You may be shocked to read that during this entire time I felt an abominable, unexplainable, guiltily healthy tingle in my bones. In the darkness of early morning, having just been informed of the sickness in the house, I felt that perhaps I was doomed. But I prayed. I asked God to make me the helper--the servant. And He did. Not at any moment after did it even occur to me to get sick. Ben ran himself ragged caring for and cleaning up after his wife and daughter, and I did my best to help where I could. Most often it was Andrew who gained my attention. Now that they are gone, my arms feel much too empty--my feet much too rested, and the house unbearably clean. Yes, influenza or no, it was a Blessed Burden.