Nebt-Het's Birthday Celebration: Grand Opening of New Ancestor Shrine

This is the new ancestor shrine:

It's out in the living room instead of in the "temple" in the back of the apartment where the other shrines are. I figured the ancestors would rather be out where they could see what was going on. :)

I opened it for the first time as part of tonight’s celebration. I think E.M. was pleased with the offerings, which I promised him back when I had to do that bare bone’s libation and prayer to give him the strength he needed to reach my mother’s side before she passed. I could almost feel him smiling at me through his photo. During the prayers I also read the *extensive* list of ancestors I’ve compiled—stretching back five generations on my mother’s side and at least three on my father’s. It felt good to say all those names and realize just how deep and strong my roots are.

My mother was around today as well. Even though she's still barely halfway done with her journey through the duat. I know she’s there, because I keep hearing our song: the one she sang to me as a child and that I sang to her the night she died. Everywhere. On the radio first. Then a friend on Facebook, who barely even knew my mom, posted the lyrics as a status update. It was even playing on the CD test panel in the homegoods section of Walmart today just when I happened to walk by.

Love you mom. :)

As a tribute to her here’s my, slightly altered, version of the song:

“You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skys are grey
You’ll never know dear
How much I miss you
But we'll meet again someday”

When I went before Nebt-het and showed her the ancestor shrine and offered her a flower from it…she seemed pleased. I thanked her. From the bottom of my heart—for coming the night my mother passed, for easing my mother’s first step into the other realm, and for comforting me in that moment:

 Friend of the dead: you came for my mother in her hour of need. In my hour of need. You came for the one I loved most. You came and you took her gently with you in her moment of pain and fear and gave her peace. I can never repay my debt to you. But I will honor my ancestors and be a friend to the dead as you are. I can only hope it is sufficient.

Dua Nebt-het!