Katherine's Letter

 September 10th 2040

Dearest Cousin,

I know I haven’t written in a long while, my apologizes to you for that. I’ve been in a severe fog of depression. I have some difficult news to share with you and I fear this letter will be our last correspondence as my energy dwindles down by the day. I have been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. It is very aggressive and has spread to other organs in my body.

I’m sure you can imagine how difficult this has been on my son, Thomas, considering his father passed just a few years ago. He has been so wonderful to me during this time. He is such a bright and grounded young man. Of course you know that, he has been gifted since his childhood. He’s been helping me put my affairs in order. I only wish he could have known more about my life - I just found it too difficult and tragic to share and now the legal processes and my doctor appointments have driven me to exhaustion, so I don’t do much else but sleep. When I dream, I see a beautiful white door before me. I know my time will be soon.

I am going to be cremated and grown into the most beautiful maple tree, just like the one that lived outside of the window of John and my first home. Birds will nourish their young there and when my leaves die in the fall I will give a bright red shelter to the next generation of pollinators.

If this is the last time we speak, just know that all the days of the rest of your life I will be with you. In the breeze, on the wings of butterflies and I will pelt you with pennies to remind you there is richness in the future. Please have a drink of red sparkling grape juice to celebrate when I pass on, for old times sake. I am going to be home soon, I’ll finally get to meet Jesus. All my love to you Stephen.

Warmest Regards,

Katherine Ann