Connected by Heaven

In the space of two and a half months, I lost my father, then my husband. He was only 63 years old. Prayer, my children, my family, my parish in Monaco and my friends allowed me not to sink.

A few days after my husband’s funeral, in January 2022, a couple of friends accompanied me to the cemetery. In Monaco, there is a lack of space: the tombs can be stacked on top of each other. At the foot of the column of funeral boxes where my husband rests, in front of the lower grave, recently cemented, was placed a small white ceramic heart bearing these words: “Our Baby Boy” (“Our little boy”).

A calming certainty came over me: “My love flew to Heaven with this baby.” A little later, a marble plaque with a photo of a toddler sleeping in his crib and his name, Alexander John, was attached to the locker.

One day the following summer, returning to the cemetery, I noticed from a distance a young woman sitting on the ground, her gaze staring at the child’s grave. My heart started beating very hard. Coming closer, I said to him, in English: “Oh! You are the mother of Alexander John, I am sure that my husband, Maurice, watches over him. They are together.”

A second small white heart had been placed next to the first in front of the reopened grave, with this inscription: “Our Baby Girl». Was it possible that this mother had lost a second baby, this time a girl? I was upset. The funeral plaque now bears a second baby photo, that of the little sister.

One year later, on December 24, 2023, I intensely felt the joy of having shortly before become the grandmother of an adorable granddaughter. I went to the cemetery. Oh, surprise! An envelope stuck next to my husband’s photo contained a kind note from the parents of the babies’ parents: they wished me a Merry Christmas and affirmed that my husband and their children were happy reunited in Heaven. This was my greatest gift: we are two families connected in Heaven. What grace, truly! I felt the true joy of God.

My life has completely changed. I miss my husband terribly. I have more time to observe people and things. I see lots of little lights in everyday life that I didn’t notice. I listen better. Every morning, I find in meditating on the Gospel of the day the impetus for my day.