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.