The first Easter morning after Mama joined Dad in heaven, I awakened in the morning with her voice sounding in my ears. It seemed she had been calling me as she had when I was a child.

So clearly I could hear the echo of her voice repeating, “Sister! – Sister!”

Realizing that this was only a dream, and I had gone to sleep wishing I could once again hear her call me, I soon went to sleep again.

This time I am certain I did dream of her.

When I woke, it was to feel her presence so near me that I slipped out of bed and composed the following lines.

                        The Night Voice

In the quiet of the Easter, in the stillness of the night

A voice peaceful, sweet and pleasing

Comes to comfort, cheer, encourage

Lift a load in sorrows plight.

Dark tonight the sweet tomorrow

Dawns a brighter, better day;

All because a voice came whispering

  “Faint not, God will show the way

   Live today and let tomorrow

   Bring what pleasures that it may

   And you’ll find that sorrows burden passes –

   Passes on and seems to borrow

   Surcease from the day just flown

   Snatch the joys and clasp the gladness,”

Urges on this lovely voice,

   “And you’ll find that you have grown!

   Grown in grace and caught a blessing…

   Grown in favor, walking lonely

   Though one never, ever, walks alone,”

As an aftermath, night’s stillness closes in

Closes in…the voice is gone

In the silence of the darkness

Echoes faint and fading

Comes a muted bell-like tone,

   “Carry on! Begin! I’m with you!

   Carry on! Again! Alone!”