DEAR ABBY: My darling grandmother, a selfless pillar in our community, died just over three weeks ago. Her death hit me extremely hard, but I was lucky enough to see her one last time before she fell into a coma.
In my kitchen is an amaryllis plant that my husband received as a gift more than 10 years ago. It hasn't bloomed in the last seven years, but we kept it going because the fronds are so pretty. In fact, I liked it so much I bought one for my grandmother as a Christmas gift a few years ago.
Well, after seven years of being dormant, my beautiful amaryllis began blooming on the day of Grandma's funeral. This amazing, stately flower stands tall and reminds us of her. There is no reason why this plant should flower now. I haven't fed it in ages, it gets watered only when I can remember to do it, and I have never "conditioned" it to bloom out of season. I think it's Grandma telling me she loves me even though she is gone. -- JENNIFER IN LINCOLN, MONT.
DEAR JENNIFER: Please accept my sympathy for the loss of your grandmother. She may be sending you a message of love, reminding you that in death people of faith enjoy a new beginning, or telling you that you should not grieve for her, because wherever she is, she, too, is "blooming."