Last year shortly after Caety died, a Facebook friend who I have never met in person, Katarina Phang, expressed her compassion and desire to comfort me by telling me she wanted to buy me something special for Christmas. She asked me what I would like.
I had just happened to see Bravelets advertised on Facebook, and knew at once that I would love to have one of these beautiful bracelets inscribed with the words "Be brave" as a reminder to me to be brave and to "be okay" the way Caety wanted me to be.
Also, $10 of the purchase price would go toward research and help for people battling cystic fibrosis, so this was the perfect gift for me. Katarina ordered the purple CF Bravelet, and I have worn it almost every day since the day it arrived. I never leave the house without wrapping it around my wrist. It feels like a connection to Caety.
I also decided to buy a CF Bravelet last Christmas for each of my other children - Ryan, Stephen, and Robyn. Robyn's is just like mine, and the guys have the men's style bracelet. There is a new style available especially for young children too.
Last week I received an email from the Bravelets company telling me about their brand new independent consultant program and asking if I was interested in this new approach they are taking to getting the word out about Bravelets. I immediately said yes! It's a product AND a mission that I can stand behind 100%.
If you or someone you know need a tangible reminder to BE BRAVE, and you want to support an important cause that is near and dear to your heart, please take a look at www.bravelets.com where you can order a Bravelet for any of over 160 causes. Using the coupon code mel007 will give you a 10% discount, and will also give me credit for the sale. And $10 per Bravelet will go to support your cause.
Thank you for your support and for caring about the lives of people who are suffering, whether it's cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer's, abuse, Crohn's, cancer, multiple sclerosis, or any other serious struggle. Please share this page with your friends who might like Bravelets, too. ♥
More about my journey with grief: I Wrote A Poem Today And Cried
These are really nice bracelets and a beautiful testament to your connection with Caety. When you love someone healing is an ongoing process. There are times of joy when you think of the beautiful experiences you had with a loved one and there are times of sadness when you mourn the lack of "physical appearance." Just go with what you're feeling in the moment. One of the things I learned about "loss" of a relative dear to me, at a tender age, was that it made me more compassionate to the suffering of others. I also realized that many people don't have that level of compassion until death has touched their souls. This brought comfort to me. People can't give what they don't have. It can feel at times that people are cruel or distanced when in fact it is that they are afraid to get close to real love and intimacy. I hope this message will shed some light upon some feelings you may be experiencing. Without going in great detail, when I see certain things that remind me of a loved one, I stop and communion with them from my heart. I find this helps. There's so much we don't know about many dimensions of the universe. There are so many realms we apparently can't experience because of our makeup. I watch animals and notice how for instance dogs and cats can pick up things like storms and even the presence of disease with the senses given to them innately. And then I'm reminded that just because I physically can't see someone after they apparently "passed" on that doesn't mean that there spirit isn't around me. I noticed over the years as I got older and wiser that when one leaves the physical plane(or at least apparently so) everything about them becomes more alive. I think that is one of the reasons I cry deeply; is it that my soul is touched by their presence and I know not in my physicality to reach them. Once I saw this I looked forward to the moments that what I experience (due to conditioning to be named "pain" in my heart) as actual moments to rest in their presence touching me in a personal way.(ahh...the reasons for my tears. I can feel them stirring and they need not say a thing because I know if they were here what they would say or what their facial expression is sharing with me).
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I felt called to leave you this message because maybe it will help you to embrace each and every moment that is called "hurt" and see it as a blessing along with the thoughts of joyful experiences.
Everything is going to work out; you'll be fine. Don't struggle with the process. But embrace it.
Thank you so much for sharing these thoughts with me. I agree with you about compassion - I have noticed that too. I love what you wrote about embracing the moments called "hurt."
DeleteWhat a really beautiful gift! I wanted to stop by to let you know that you are in my prayers today.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cynthia.
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