If Only I Stopped by 3 Months Earlier

I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when I called my 90-year-old friend and her cellphone was disconnected. So I called her house phone and my heart sank when that was disconnected. In August, when school started, Celestine Ellis was on my heart. "How is she doing?" I would ask myself,  "She's 90 plus years old, you need to go by and see her."  

She was the glue of our Secure Women Investment Club, SWIC for short.  We were together for 12 years. And before we disbanded, we cashed in some of our shares and flew to France to tour the country for 15 days.  Celestine took her grand daughter Corrin.  It was the best trip ever.  Even after we disbanded, Celestine, our perpetual secretary, continued to send out stock tips to the SWIC listserve. 

If I had only stopped by three months earlier I would have had a chance to say goodbye to my dear friend.  Our lovely Celestine Ellis is resting in peace, now.  She passed on September 9, just two weeks shy of her 93rd birthday. Her services were held at Inglewood Park Cemetery on September 27, 2021 and were officiated by Rev. J. Edgar Boyd, senior pastor of First AME Church of Los Angeles.

I sat and visited with her son David (her only child)  and he apologized, ". . . if I wasn't able to reach everyone."  However, he gave me a program from her services.  Understandably, he didn't really remember if anyone from SWIC was in attendance. I ended our visit by saying, "It is what it is," it came out of my mouth without much  thought and it felt a little odd that I would say that to comfort someone, a son who has lost his mother.  David chuckled and said, "You, too." 

I felt so silly for saying something so inadequate.  Then I got home and read Celestine's program. David quoted one of Celestine's favorite sayings, "It is what it is."  This time I chuckled through a stream of tears. I choose to believe I was channeling her spirit at that moment on her porch and David, her son, enjoyed the irony.

I feel so blessed that God saw fit to share Celestine with us mere mortals for as long as He did. Love you Celestine and thank you for being such a good friend.