Time flies when you are mourning.
It is one year ago that I discovered the demise of my unborn baby and then was admitted to the hospital to have labor induced. Its is one year ago that I injured my back in the process. It is one year ago that, thankfully, I met a wonderful, caring, supportive nurse/grief counselor through the Hospital, as well as the comforting bereavement minister from my Church. Both of these women have aided my family and me a great deal through this unfortunate process.
As a way to "give back" I volunteered to write articles for the perinatal loss support group newsletter through the Hospital. For the November issue, I was asked to compose "10 reasons to feel thankful even when you don't feel like it."
This is what I wrote; I hope that each of you, when you need it, can come back to this list and find a way to apply it in your life. (Except, for most people, number 1, and number 8, although each can be extrapolated into something applicable in your own circumstance.)
Top Ten Reasons To Feel Thankful Even When It May Seem Difficult
10. Economy: Compared to most of the world, and even parts of our own country, we have access to wonderful food, education, and healthcare.
9. Treasure: We each have unique talents and skills that can be used to make our own lives – as well as the lives of others – rich and fulfilled. They are hidden treasures waiting for us to discover.
8. Geography: Illinois' residents have not experienced the economic and environmental devastation of a massive hurricane, earthquake, or war in recent history.
7. Serendipity: Don't forget the occasional gift of turning on your car radio and hearing one of your favorite tunes that you have not heard for years – and rolling up the windows to sing along without any inhibition!
6. Time: Realizing how much change and progress is made in our healing – emotionally and physically – each day, month, and year that goes by.
5. Family: Spouses, parents, siblings, friends, and extended family provide the love and support to we need as human beings throughout our life journey.
4. Environment: The life cycles of the earth – plants, animals, water, mountains, weather and the changing of the seasons provide sources of deep inspiration and reflection for us if we take the time to observe it.
3. Mind and Body: Though both may seem to fail us at times, we can be wonderfully surprised with the things we can achieve with our bodies and minds when we take the time to nurture them.
2. Spirit – Whether we worship traditionally or focus on personal contemplation, our unique spirit, our soulfulness of being, is what makes us, as humans, memorable, and valuable, in life and after.
1. Love: Despite the physical loss of our children, nothing can take away our love for them – it is held within our hearts always.
