TIES THAT BIND

  Kathina realized it had been fifty years since that long ago visit to Washington State Park with her childhood friend Ilena. They had made a day of it together. Kathina had been visiting her grandparents in a nearby town in Southwest Arkansas where she and Ilena had formed their childhood friendship. That sweet friendship had lasted until Ilena died after being hit by a drunk driver when she was walking on a country road. Kathina missed her friend greatly and had traveled to this small town to honor their friendship and remember the wonderful day they had shared here so many years ago.

        Exploring the park that day with Ilena had led to learning about the official history of the small town of Washington and its role in the Confederacy. It also inspired Kathina to seek family stories from her grandfather about that place. The family’s stories were poignant and left no records beyond being passed from generation to generation by word of mouth. Kathina knew those stories well. But it was her love for her lost friend Ilena that brought her to the park now.

         Kathina remembered clearly how she and Ilena had explored the cemetery where so many grave stones noted the tragic deaths of children between two and three years of age before and after, but not during The Civil War. The cemetery had been overgrown and mysterious back then when she and Ilena visited it together, but now it looked tidied up and revealed even more grave stones flat in the ground that the plant growth had obscured back then. She wandered about remembering Ilena and musing upon the promise she and Ilena had made to each other to never forget one another, no matter what.  That promise brought her back to this little-known corner of southwest Arkansas. In fact, she had expanded that promise into a personal pilgrimage to trace the steps of her childhood tied to people she had loved in various places back then.

Memories flooded her mind as she stood amongst the gravestones. Ilena and she were best friends spending many hours together as children and young adults whenever she visited her grandparents. Her last visit with Ilena had been here at Washington State Park. It was during that visit that they promised each other they would return here after one of them died as a private memorial to their deep and abiding friendship.

Kathina stopped wandering about the cemetery. She sank down on a bench near one of children’s graves with her memories and her grief. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry, Kath,” a familiar voice broke into her consciousness. She realized the voice used her nickname bestowed upon her by Ilena long ago. The voice continued in Ilena’s sweet voice, “I am so glad you came.” And then, Ilena materialized in a shimmering body beside Kathina on the bench.

Kathina gasped and stopped crying. She answered, “Yes, I came, and I’m glad you did too, but how are you here?”

“Ties that bind, dear friend, ties that bind,” Ilena explained as if those three words were all the explanation necessary. Her shimmering translucent presence solidified and she reached out and patted Kathina’s leg as they sat side by side.

Kathina laid her hand atop Ilena’s and found it warm with life as she did so. They sat like that in sweet silence for a while love flowing freely between them like the waters of Old Man River they knew so well. More memories stirred in Kathina’s being. memories of playing with Ilena as toddlers during play dates arranged by their mothers who had also been childhood friends. Ties that bind, thought Kathina luxuriating in the flow of the memories and the miraculous presence of her dear friend.

Ilena broke the silence saying, “We’ve shared lives beyond the last one, Kath.”

"Ties that bind,” replied Kathina.

“Yes, ties that bind.”

Kathina nodded. “How long can you stay?”

“Not sure. I was sent so you would know for certain that Spirit continues beyond the flesh.”

“Who sent you?” Kathina asked remembering many late night talks they had shared about what happens after death.

“The Elders. They desired that you have no doubt, none about the Power of Love and the ties that bind Souls one to the other life after life. Knowing the power of the ties that bind is very important.” Ilena squeezed Kathina’s hand and continued, “Come, let’s walk together until I am called away.”

Kathina smiled, stood, and walked about the cemetery this time hand-in-hand with Ilena knowing this visit was a gift that was not to be wasted.

In their walking about, they eventually came to a very small grave.

“Do you remember this one?" Ilena asked.

Kathina bent down to better read the inscription: Here lies my sweet Suzannah. May she always know love.

“Yes, I do,” Kathina replied.

“She was my child in a past life though when we visited here before, I did not know that.”

"Ties that bind,” Kathina whispered.

"Yes, ties that bind. I met up with her again once I crossed through the veil to the Other Side of Life.” Ilena plainly stated.

Kathina absorbed this information thinking to herself, ties that bind.

Aloud she said to Ilena, “There’s much yet to learn after the transformation from life to death, isn’t there?”

          Ilena nodded solemnly and then a giggle escaped her lips, “Oh my, yes indeed, much to learn and much to remember. It seems to be ongoing. You know, ties that bind.”

          “You shouldn’t be here, but you are,” Kathina stated.

           “Right,” replied Ilena. “You kept the promise we made to each other. That opened the way for me to come and be here with you now.”

              “Does this happen often for others?” Kathina asked out of curiosity.

              “More than you can imagine,” Ilena acknowledged. Ties that bind abide.”

              “Promises are powerful, aren’t they?” Kathina probed.  

              “Yes, promises kept and promises broken both have powerful consequences after the crossing.”

              Ilena released Kathina’s hand from her own.

              “Oh, do you have to leave now?” Kathina pleaded with her dear friend.

              “Sadly, yes, but I’ll always be near you in the breeze, in the return of spring, in the starry sky, and in your heart. Always remember the endurance of the ties that bind.

              Those last three words echoed all around her in Ilena’s silvery voice and lodged within her heart as she watched Ilena become shimmering spirit and vanish. In that moment, it was heart wrenching and uplifting all at once.

              “Ties that bind,” Kathina whispered to herself as she left Washington State Park, pondering that indelible message of wisdom she had received from Ilena. Only time would tell what would happen next.