What a ride! Early on, she had been scared to open this thing. Now she could scarcely put it down. What time was it now? For that matter, what year was it? Did that even matter anymore? That laughter in the vision was starting to prove contagious. She turned the page. "Colossians 3:8-16".
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Below, she read:
Ruza fuscavan irr. Qa ërr ien bav Asakem uon ën tineasfa, ginnav ába dhhuuslúrbek ën ruza dhogguvh. Qaba reha ërr nadnehem an qaba Ruvhu ërr fushevk. Qaba férbek ërr ruza Ék ën irr námba harrûkis iffuvbeshrem. Nám dírr phû bid nhon, an bid nhon dírr dan nák hhaa.
***
She saw Iris and Tyrell, now parents, bringing their baby girl for a visit. Something was different about them this time. Iris had always been sweet, but now she was sweeter than ever. It was like she was five again. No shields, no reservations. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, which ran into Sophia's shirt as she leaned in for a hug, smiling from ear to ear. Tyrell stood by patiently with the baby, two steps back. When Iris cheerfully motioned him nearer, the difference in him became plain. The pain was gone, praise God! He was the very picture of joy as he presented baby Esperanza, who giggled at the sight of someone so light wearing such a goofy smile.
Sophia would have clasped them all in a giant bearhug if Esperanza weren't so young and fragile. She was so happy she wanted to shout. Her confession was bearing fruit, and she had scarcely had to do anything! Love had conquered all!
Don't be afraid. Only believe.
This was something to celebrate. Dinner and dessert for everyone, on her. No one would know what was prompting her to do this, and that was precisely the charm of it.
***
She smiled. Aww, what a sweet memory! No apologies needed, no "work" to do, just open arms, relief, and jubilation. It reminded her of the prodigal son and how his father ran out to meet him on the road. If only Mom had stayed the way she was in that memory... Why had she taken such a hard turn? What had radicalized her? Was it a reaction to Grandma and Grandpa? Had Mom suspected Lazarus of "corrupting" them and sought to punish him for it?
She frowned. Her professors had certainly been capable of encouraging just such behavior... If Mom had sat under the same kind of professors she had, that possibility was all too likely. As for Sophia herself, her memories of Gampa had been faint enough that she felt no need to mention him, so her social training had proceeded as if she had no white relatives. She had successfully "passed".
Now that she had seen this, though, she wasn't so certain that she wanted to "pass". Lazarus had been a beacon...a loyal guardian, a wellspring of love, and a consummate sweetheart in close quarters with X-ray discernment and faith of seismic proportions. This was a forebear of whom to be proud, not ashamed.