Quote of The Month From Compassionate Friends

I read this quote and nodded yes, this is how I feel. I am thankful to Wayne Loder for his few words that summarize how I feel. It is eight years now since Paul died, and I am a survivor. Sadly my sister's journey has just begun, as it is only nine months since Jill passed away. My sister will survive too. We miss and love our children with all our hearts.

The passage of time alone does not cause our grief to end,

but its softening touch helps us to survive ~

Wayne Loder

I don't consider myself religious but ....

I was touched at the funeral mass for my niece Jill. The prayers for the faithful, which was put together by Suzy was beautiful. The prayer card for Jill, with The Madonna holding her child, and the prayer itself, seemed like it was made for Jill. Perhaps one day I will post it. In the meantime, for the first time since Paul died, I found comfort in religion, which brings me to the reason for this post.

Our family celebrated Thanksgiving at Rose and Jack's home in Indiana. On the route to their home, you go past a church. The sign or message by the church had a verse from the Beatitudes. It was such a coincidence that not only was our family celebrating Thanksgiving and Rosie's birthday it was Jill's birthday the day before. I saw a connection for all of us in the verse from Matthew 5:4:

Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Today is Paul's Birthday ...

... and although I kept myself busy, my thoughts would drift back to him and his life. I had wanted to post this paragraph before and today is a good day for it, it is from the program for the Mass of Resurrection for Jill. May Jill and Paul rest in peace and our families memory of them will forever be in our hearts.

A Family is .....

A family is a deeply rooted tree with branches of different strengths, all receiving nourishment from an infinite source. Family is where character is formed, values are learned, ethics are created, and society is preserved. Family is where all members, contribute and share, cooperate and work, and accept their responsibilities toward the group. Family is where the holidays are celebrated with feasting, birthdays acknowledged with gifts, and thoughts of days gone by are kept alive with fond remembrances. Family is where each can find solace and comfort in grief, pleasure and laughter in joy, and kindness and encouragement in daily living. Family is a haven of rest, a sanctuary of peace, and most of all, a harbor of love.

Happy Birthday Paul, I love you and miss you with all my heart.
Mom

A QUOTE FROM TCF

Quote of the Month

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.

Let me learn from you, love you, savor you, bless you before you depart.

Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.

Let me hold you while I may, for it will not always be so.

One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow,

or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky,

and want more than all the world for your return.

by Mary Jean Irion

Remember Me

Remember Me:

To the living I am gone
To the sorrowful, I will never return
To the angry, I was cheated
But to the happy, I am at peace
And to the faithful, I have never left.
I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.
So as you stand upon a shore, gazing at the beautiful sea
Remember me.
As you look in awe at a mighty forest and its grand majesty
Remember me.
As you look upon a flower and admire it's simplicity
Remember me.
Remember me in your heart, your thoughts
and your memories of the times we loved,
the times we cried, the times we fought,
the times we laughed.
For if you always think of me, I will have never gone.....


This poem,
is in Memory Of My Niece,
Jill


This poem is for my sister Rose who
sent it to me for comfort.
Life has dealt us both such sadness and heartache.

A quote from a bereaved mother

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

“I do not believe that sheer suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, all the world would be wise. To suffering must be added mourning, understanding, patience, love, openness, and the willingness to remain vulnerable.”

Anne Lindbergh had great happiness and great tragedy in her life. Her book “Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead” is the diary she kept at the time her son was kidnapped. It is truly heartrending.

Quote of the Month from TCF

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart,

and you shall see that in truth you are weeping

for that which has been your delight.

From The Prophet

by Kahlil Gibran

Quotes

I joined a website called 43 things some time ago and it is a neat place to visit and belong to.
http://www.43things.com/ On this web site, you can place your goals and places you'd like to visit. You can also list goals you have accomplished. It is also a great way to meet people anonymously, I have also found some bereaved parents on it. One of my goals is to add quotes when I find one that especially relates to me or find funny or inspirational or just plain neat!

All of this explanation brings me to this ........ a quote from Paul that he recorded on a tape when introducing a song.

"Peace and happiness to everyone but love life"

That's my boy!!!! : )