Thursday, April 16, 2009

For Your Tears

I can't get Maddie out of my heart. I am in awe of the brave words her parents have written on their blog. I have always wondered how parents move forward, how they manage to get out of bed each day. I know that they do this with enormous strength and courage. They do this with an emptiness in their hearts that we can't even begin to imagine. My heart aches for their loss.
(See Madeline Alice Spohr on YouTube. It's a beautiful tribute.)

When I went to the funeral of my dear friends son 9 years ago I asked those questions to myself. I saw my greatest fear of losing a child being lived through them. Even on their worst day I saw a glimpse of hope, I heard them laugh at the luncheon. There is a strength that has to be God given that emerges during these horrific times. We had a neighbor who lost their son about 15 years ago and I remember a few months later I heard her laughing in her back yard. There was that hope again that life does move forward. I found myself being still and listening to her laughter whenever I heard it. I couldn't take enough of it in.

So nine years ago I sent my friend a handkerchief with a simple note "For Your Tears." I have given out many over the years and it gives me pleasure in my heart to do this simple thing. When I worked at Hallmark I had a women come in one day looking for a picture frame to put a picture of her child with another child in. The two children were being treated for cancer and had met at the hospital. The other child had just passed away and they wanted to bring the picture to the parents. I then remembered that I had a box of handkerchiefs out in the trunk of my car. I ran out to my car, got a hankie, gave her a big hug and handed her the hankie saying "For Your Tears." You can't make those moments happen, God makes those moments happen. I am still in love with my God-incidence's.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh how very thoughtful of you. I am glad our paths have crossed. I wish it was possible to make every one hurting know they are not alone, and that someone is grieving with them.

Bless your beautiful heart.

I can't find my blog said...

This is really beautiful. Heather and Mike are pretty amazing people and I know that they have been surrounded by great friends, too.

That doesn't mean that any parent should bury a child, though.

Keetha Broyles said...

I just took the time to go through all your blog posts so far. I just gotta tell ya - - - I LOVE your blog. Headless told me I would, and she was RIGHT.

There are some blogging groups that you could join - - - that brings a lot of people a lot faster to your blog.

I personally have not done that. Here are the things that have "worked for me" to get people to my blog:

1) Post frequently. It doesn't have to be every day, but multiple times a week.

2) Go to the blogs you've found so far and click on their follow lists and check out other blogs. When you find ones you like leave comments and follow them. As you leave comments and follow others, they will start coming to you.

3) Keep using your delightful sense of humor. Everyone wants to SMILE when they read a blog.

4) I think photos are very important.

Now - - - maybe you didn't want all that blogvice, but I saw a post where you asked a lot of questions about how to get your blog noticed, so I just chimed right in with my very bossy self.

Have you gone into your settings and clicked the box that will send you an e-mail each time you get a comment? I LOVE that - - - it helps me keep up with comments.

PJ rule.

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