Stairs that lead to Heaven

I remember once walking into the house my sister had just bought and looking at that whole staircase of steps leading up to the bedrooms. At that time, my sister was preparing for our aging mother who was 85 years old at the time to come live with her and her husband and son. I looked at those stairs and followed them to the top and had a feeling of  anxiety come over me. "How is mama supposed to climb all those steps day after day?" I told my sister I didn't like the idea of mother having to go up and down those stairs. She replied, "Oh! It'll be good for her. Even the doctor said so." I got angry inside and figured there was nothing I could do now, the house was already purchased.

     As the days progressed they turned into months and then years. Every time I went over there, I shook my head and looked at the top of those stairs. Mama was a meek and humble woman and she patiently would take each step with care. Finally, one day I said to mama , "I'm sorry you have to walk so many steps to get to your bedroom," and she replied, "Oh! It's all right, With every step that I take, I just say a Hail Mary and offer it up to God." I just stood there. Thinking how I wanted to become just like her. Patient and humble.

     If every step I take would be offered up to God, what a treasure in heaven I would have.

     My sister actually did my mama a favor. She gave her "Stairs to Heaven".

     By the time mama died she was 90 years old and had gone up and down those stairs many, many times. Every time a tinge of disappointment would try to grab at my heart about those darn stairs , I would hear that sweet voice of hers saying, "She just offers it up to God" .

     May the grace of God be upon me to recognize the Holiness in people and strive to be at least half of what my mother taught me that day.