Rainbow of Promise

Loss and firsts seem to continue to walk hand in hand.

Celebrating Eli’s graduation without my Mommie beside us was one of those moments. It was hard on both Daddy and me. Yet even in the ache of her absence, we were surrounded by the people she loved and who loved her right back.

I remember sitting with her doctor when she told him how badly she wanted to see Eli graduate. Afterward, he gently pulled me aside and said it was a road she likely wouldn’t be able to walk. Her heart was simply too weak.

That conversation broke my heart then, and graduation day brought those feelings rushing back.

But I’ve come to believe that love has a way of finding us, even after goodbye.

During the celebration, my coworker Allison came rushing over, grabbed my hand, and said, “Your mom is here. You have to see this.”

Confused, I followed her outside. There, stretched across the sky, was the most beautiful rainbow against a breathtaking backdrop. In that moment, it felt as if Heaven itself had paused to remind us that love doesn’t end when a life does.

It felt like my Mommie was smiling down, saying, “My daughter, my grandson—I prayed for this moment. Even though I’m not there beside you, I am all around you.”

Life is full of bridges. Some we cross with those we love. Others we must cross without them. Yet along the way, angels appear—sometimes in the form of family, friends, strangers, or memories. Sometimes we help carry others across their bridges, and sometimes they return to help carry us across ours.

What a beautiful moment this was for Eli and for me.

Thank you, Mommie, for loving him so fiercely, for believing in him, and for helping him reach this milestone. As he crossed the bridge of graduation, I felt your presence every step of the way.

May we all live lives that shine brightly enough to guide others. May we never miss the signs of love that surround us. And may we remember that those we carry in our hearts are never truly gone.

🌈❤️