My Sweet Jean. Love lives. There’s sweetness in a long-lived love—a love touched from above.

My Sweet Jean. God knew 22 years in advance I’d be the one to handle her last affairs, be her medical power of attorney and make sure she had a fitting funeral service. Jean never married, nor had kids, she lived with her sister who passed a year before I met her. Jean had a full family of friends, retirement ladies from work (where we met when I was 23, she 68, she came back to work PT), church friends and a close cousin in CA who preceded her.

Blessings come in many forms and Jean is my best.

Blessings come in many forms and Jean is my best. During her declining health, move to memory-care and then nursing home, people commented to me: “You are such a blessing, what would Jean have done.” Well, I was the lucky one. I was the one blessed. You know love at a different level when you experience it at the end, in the times of fail. It’s the times of nothing and everything with Jean that cling my memory bank. Being with my Jean.

I wrote often about my Sweet Jean during her declining health because it helped me process our love and her leaving. Yes, I say “my” Jean because she was given to me. My gift. My love story. I even wrote about her in my second book, Sights of Faith—‘Test 1: Will you do what I’ve given you?’ Of course, I didn’t know this until 22 years after meeting her. At the end, driving to her funeral, giving her eulogy, God let me in on it.

Jean almost ran out of money. She was able to leave her remaining small funds to her church. I tell you this because it makes our relationship even sweeter. We were always about love. No money involved.

Because I know God placed her in my life I’m able to trust more fully in my future. As My Jean said “Trust in the Lord, he’ll take care of you.” 

I dedicated my second book to Jean. It’s been 6 years (to the day-June 27) since she passed and I’m still writing about her. Love lives. 

My Sweet Jean.