The year after my husband passed away, I wanted to go to Salvage, NL, to visit his grave, and see the headstone that was put in place.
On a Saturday in 2012, I got in my car and drove down to Salvage. I stopped in Clarenville as we always did on the 3 hour journey, for a little rest and a coffee. I was feeling pretty lonely but also feeling excited to be going to visit the cemetery. This felt so strange because my husband was always with me on this journey. I listened to some music, and before I knew it, I was in Salvage.
I immediately went to the cemetery.
My heart was pounding and I can’t begin to tell you how I felt. I walked in and saw the headstone with my husband’s name, birth date and the inscription. The inscription was from Isaiah 40:31, “Those who hope in the Lord will soar on wings like eagles.” This was my husband’s favorite verse in the Bible. I started to cry because it felt surreal to me.
After a few minutes, I walked a few steps to visit my Mom’s and Dad’s graves, and also my sister’s. I slowly walked back to my car and drove to my sister’s home to stay with her for the night.
The next morning I went to visit my two aunts, and my brother showed me Dad’s house that he had renovated. I went and got my overnight bag, and said to my sister – Gail, that I was ready to go back home. Gail said she and my other sister, Eileen, wanted to take me to lunch before I went back. I accepted, thanked her for the lovely visit, and proceeded to put my things in the car.
Eileen and Gail started to get in their car, and all of a sudden I had the strong urge to go back to the cemetery. I said to Gail, “I need to go to the cemetery again, can you wait for me?” They said, “Sis, do you want us to go with you?” I said “no, I want to go alone.” I got in my car and drove over. The car radio was on, but I didn’t bother to turn it off as I was only going to be a few minutes.
I can tell you I was feeling pretty lonely and sad. I said out loud “well, I am going back now “alone.”” I was crying when I left the cemetery, feeling sad and on quite a pity trip.
This is where it gets interesting… As I got in my car, the song playing on the radio was “Have I told you lately that I love you?” I almost dropped because ever since we got married, my husband, told me every day that he loved me. Especially as he got very sick, he would say “Did I tell you today?” And I would say “What?”
He would say “you know.” I would say “you will have to tell me!” This went on day after day until the night before he passed away.
The song, “Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?” was pretty special to me. To get in my car, and hear that song playing after tearfully leaving his grave, was so exciting to me that I was beside myself. I couldn’t wait to tell my sisters about what I had experienced.
A Gift From God – that’s what it was. The strange thing about this was that I can’t get VOWR down in Salvage. My radio won’t pick up any station, and all I hear is static. I have gone down since, and I still can’t get anything on the radio. Getting it that day was a gift From God.
“Thank you, Lord, for being with me that day, and giving me wings to drive back home to Mount Pearl. “
BIO:
Nina Brown-O’Brien is a Mother of two adult children, and a Nana to three beautiful granddaughters. She is a Hairdresser who enjoys spending time with others, and making them feel good about themselves. She enjoys being involved with the Music Ministry in her church as part of the Band.
