I left PantheaCon early when I heard she had gone into the hospital for the last time. I got on a plane and was at her bedside in Arkansas a few hours later. My parents were there and so was her husband and the Priestess who was her friend and who helped her to cross over. Aeron died two days later. Her Priestess and I performed a ritual at Sunset to help her spirit home.
7 months later, I was working a ritual for the people who died in September 11th and I saw Aeron's fiery spirit leading people across. I've never felt anything like that in all my workings before or since. I can't describe it the experience except to say that the overwhelming feelings I sense were fear, confusion, love, courage and finally, joy.
I asked my friend Dotti at the Center for Living with Dying to help me understand what I had seen in that meditation. Dotti and her Circle had done rituals for many days to help those who had died, as I was doing. She explained that some of the people who died that day thought that the fire and explosions they had witnessed meant that they had seen the Hell they heard about in church, and they were afraid to cross over. Spirits like my Sister, those who knew that element and weren't afraid of it, were there to help them over to the other side.
I called Aeron's Priestess a week ago and we talked about her. We still feel her presence at certain times and in certain ways, and she sends messages from time to time, when she needs to or when we need her to.
I saw Abby Willowroot at PantheaCon again this year. We hadn't spoken since Samhain, so it was good to catch up. Abbey was a great support when Aeron was dying. She had given me one of her wonderful goddess pendants to give to Aeron when I saw her. After Aeron died, I gave this pendant to her Priestess. I have the twin of it, and Aeron's Priestess and I wear these in her honor.
I thanked abbey again for her kindness during that time. We've worked together since, on the Pagan Voting Project, among other things. I was able to be there for Abby when her own sister died. It's nice when you can pass it forward. This year, out of the blue, abbey gifted me with her Bridget pendant. "For new beginnings", she said. I wore it for the entire Convention and it sits on my altar as I write this. Bridget is a Goddess I close to, and so this pedant has great meaning for me.
Aeron's Priestess raises dogs for tracking and she uses them in police work. As a Witch, she has a special connection with them; something she doesn't explain to the police or to the families of the missing persons. All they know is that her dogs can find people and bodies that other trackers can't. When I spoke to her on the phone the other day, she told me that Aeron has left her some of her ashes to use in training the dogs to trace burned bodies. A year later, they found a boy who had been murdered out in the woods. The dogs found the remains, which were only ashes and teeth. The police did DNA test, confirmed the identity and once they knew the location, were later able to find witnesses who saw the murderers leaving the scene. So Aeron helped to solve a murder after she died.
Today is a day to remember and honor my sister. We miss you, girl.
No more words.
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