Voicemails from Heaven

This year I am faced with the Christmas I have dreaded. My first Christmas without my dad.
He died in September and even at the blessed age of 90 it still came out of the blue like a sucker punch. I still haven’t quite caught my breath.
Having to face each day without hearing his voice is just too much some days. I was having a particularly hard time the other morning. Tears streaming down my face, I pleaded “Please, Dad, can’t you just give me a sign that you know how much I miss you?” Feeling hopeless, I dried my eyes and attempted to get on with my day.
My cell phone hadn’t been working right so I called tech support. They said to clear some memory by deleting pictures, music, messages…stuff I didn’t need.
I decided to start with voicemail messages. I noticed I had all these messages from “Unknown.”
“Telemarketers” I thought so I started to delete them. Then something told me to listen to one. “Chrissy, this is Dad.” My heart was racing. I hit replay. It was my dad’s voice. His phone number was unlisted so his calls showed as “Unknown” on Caller ID.
I quickly restored the voicemails I had deleted. They are short messages about everyday stuff like what channel was JAG on? Could he have applesauce if his blood sugar was high? Can we go to McDonalds today?
But to me they were a symphony of comfort. Sweeter than any hymn. More cheerful than any Christmas carol.
My father’s voice that I can listen to any time I want.
Daddy, I hear you now but more comforting is that I know you heard me. You sent me my “sign.”
Yes, my Christmas is still going to be hard this year but let me end with the gift of hope.
If you are missing someone this holiday season and looking for that “sign” to comfort you, don’t despair. Look in some unexpected ways and places. Your comfort may be closer than you think.
Voicemails from heaven. Technology is a beautiful thing. 
Harry writes from Ocean City.