I chose the song below, Monday Monday by the Mamas and the Papas to remember my Leo today, based on the lyrics in this song. He sadly died at the age of 7 on the Monday morning of March 30, 2020. “Monday morning couldn’t guarantee that Monday evening you still would be here with me”, “Monday morning you gave me no warning of what was to be, oh Monday Monday why did you leave and not take me”. In the past, the writers of this song said, “it has no meaning, just a lyrical song which sounded good to us”, however, because of that sad Monday morning it now encompasses a meaning for me.

It was a sunny morning and calm outside as we awoke (just as it is today in 2022). Leo had not been feeling well over the weekend, and I tried to ignore what was the inevitable, but God chose that we part ways on that Monday morning. The pandemic was in full steam at this point, and so many unknowns. But my focus was on Leo, having cared for him each day through his cancer, I wanted to comfort him and make sure his last days were happy ones, and especially the last moments of his life.

The world was in a literal lockdown, and now Leo was leaving me. I closed my eyes and kept saying a prayer “I trust in you God”, which didn’t prevent my tears from flowing as Leo laid beside me. As Leo passed, he looked at me one last time, and then a gaze out the window as I would like to believe as God was calling him home. He would have no more pain, no more suffering, and I let go.

I write much about Leo, because it was God who blessed me with him, a TRUE and UNDENIABLE blessing! He came along upon my rebirth and served truly as that bridge I needed to leave my former life of wicked living once and for good. He replaced all the human garbage in my life in an instant. If I could sum up our short 7 plus years together, I would say it felt like 10 lifetimes! We experienced many highs and many lows together, and the blessing of beautiful Leo will never be forgotten.

With this blessing of Leo, I met many people I would have never met. I would have probably never known some of the gracious and beautiful hearts if not for God sending Leo my way and by what we went through at the end.

“It is not those who were with you at the beginning of a crisis,  it are those who endured to the end with you“

Lastly, this is a special note is to his supporters through his lymphoma. I wrote this before but it is NOT those who are there for you in the beginning of the crisis that you will remember, but those who God placed in your life will be with you all the way to the end. In our case, we were blessed with many of whom I never expected to care. The notes, the encouragement, the support, the prayers, the well wishes, the check ins on Leo were something also I didn’t expect, but God sent these gracious people.

It didn’t matter who they were, or what they believed, God sent them to us in our time of crisis. And I will never forget them! If you are one these people reading this, I send you another THANK YOU! May God bless you abundantly for what you did, and I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior.

That sad Monday came and Leo went, while God sustained me as He does and will everyone who turns to Him in faith. God gives and He takes away all to His plan, to His glory, and to His purpose, I thank Him alone for Leo. Blessed be the Almighty God!