Saying Goodbye to my Aunt Shirley

A couple of weeks ago, my Aunt Shirley went to sleep and will not wake up until the end.  In other words, she died.  I miss her, but I know she is better off.  She had cancer and was in a lot of pain.  I spoke with her a month ago, but it was brief.  She was describing to me what was going on and she could hear in my tone that I was sad.  I couldn't disguise it.  When I went home a few months ago, I wanted to see her but I didn't have the chance to. By the time I got there, she and my uncle had left.  When I first began this journey to New York, she was the one who took me to the travel agency so that I could get a ticket here.  When I moved here, I began to study the bible and I learned so much about God and the things I needed to change in my life.  After I was baptized, I called home to share the great news with my mom.  She didn't think it was that great.  She asked me why did I get baptized again after I had been baptized when I was 12 years old.  I told her that I didn't know my sins then and did not understand what it meant to repent of them then, so, my baptism was null and void.  (In Acts 2:38 Peter tells people how to enter the Kingdom of God-Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit)  She told me my granddaddy is turning over in his grave.  She told me I was naive and foolish and allowed the people in New York to take advantage of me because I was just a country girl.  After this phone call, I was crying so hard and was extremely hurt.  As I was going through this pain my brother called me and cursed me out for hurting my mom and then my sister called me and told me off, also.  I didn't know what to do, but I knew that I had to hold on to the truth.  Finally, my Aunt Shirley called me.  This is how the conversation went.  "Hey, Gwen how is everything going."  (Instantly, in my mind I knew she had spoken to my mom because I could tell in her tone that she was heading somewhere.)  I told her what everyone had said and what  I had done and that I was not naive and that I studied the bible for myself and understand what  God wanted me to do and I did not follow people, but I was following what was right according to the word.  I told her why I was baptized and how I know I did the right thing.  She listened patiently to everything I said.  After I finish speaking, this is what she said to me, "Gwen, you are more braver then anyone of us down here and I'm going to tell your mom to leave you alone and let you go."  I broke down crying and I thanked her.  After that phone call, my mom called me back and apologized and my siblings did too.  I know my aunt talked to her and told her exactly what she said she would.  She never stopped believing in me.  She never stopped encouraging me and I am forever grateful for that.