All Souls Week 3, Ep. 41

Episode 41: Celebrating AZ

Lisa describes her mother getting a gift in Winslow from her mother in Heaven before Julie takes us to a special parade of children being angels in Tucson.

Mug: Standin' on the Corner, Winslow, AZ

From “Feathers Brush My Heart”

By Lee Schnebly

Read by Lisa Schnebly Heidinger

One night when he was hospitalized with pneumonia, I dreamed of Mama.  I saw her dressed in a beautiful lilac dress with a cowl neck, like she sewed for herself many times.

She was just beaming at me, a happy glowing smile, with an excited radiance in her face.  Then she was gone, and I awakened.

The next morning was my last visit with Daddy, and he turned his face away from me as I left. I thought it strange because he usually watched me all the way to the dor.  The hospital called shortly after to tell us he’d passed away.

I wasn’t surprised.  I kind of knew from Mama’s smile the night before that she knew she was going to get to welcome him home, and she shared her joy with me in my dream.

The Owl and The Roadrunner

after The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear

by Julie Morrison

The Owl and the Roadrunner met to play

in a mess of mingling tykes,

choosing among wings to wear that day

to create any angel they’d like.

Owl hooted to see flapping bats,

Roadrunner loved flying fish,

both cheered the tweeties that could scare pussycats,  

these angels to meet any wish—

Any wish!

Any wish!

these angels to meet any wish!

Once winged, and gathered, the new angels aligned

to circle the park as parade,

family applauding the wings they’d designed

and what splendid angels they made,

while roadrunner raced to note all the prayers

offered to young ones departed,

and owl soared silent, lifting the cares

of the sorely bruised and broken-hearted—

sad-hearted,

sore-hearted,

Lifting cares of the bruised, broken-hearted!

Three laps of the green, then the parade turned

from procession into party time,

angels scattering— lines and order adjourned—

in laughter like festival chime,

while owl pushed cares through carved pumpkin eyes

and roadrunner chased prayers toward dawn,

that all would transform with morning's rise,

all souls filling with love never gone—

never gone!

NEVER gone!

All souls full because love’s never gone!

Copyright 2025 Julie Morrison, All rights reserved