| from time to time... |
| our stories -- next chapters Today I finished morning my tea, rinsed the mug and placed it in the sink. "Blessed are the Quilters,...for they are the Piecemakers." Once my mother's, now it is mine. She was the quilter not I, but I like starting my day with a reminder of her. Then I lit a white candle for a young woman who was just going into surgery for cancer at that hour and carried it in here with me. A candle should not be left unattended, nor should a life... I've been thinking that we each make history every day, if not on a grand scale. Our lives touch one another's and sometimes that's enough to make a difference... March 2006 Every month seems to be dedicated to something, reminding and entreating us to be aware of so much that matters. Since I captured those thoughts a couple of years ago during Women's History Month, life itself has repeatedly made me aware, regardless of the calendar. I've been touched by the lives, examples and stories of several women, each of whom has weathered a personal crisis and is now coping with a life whose landscape has changed dramatically. Their stories are not mine to tell, but they have inspired me to share some possibilities here for anyone facing similar challenges. A woman who's coped with cancer herself ended an e-mail with a web site that she said supports general cancer research. She suggested that everyone's life is touched by cancer in some way, so Choose Hope (http://www.choosehope.com) is worth checking out. Knowing her, it's a good bet. Recently I witnessed a friend's anguish after the suicide of someone close to her. Sometimes the only -- and best -- thing you can do is listen, and this was one of them. Many people struggle with thoughts of suicide so, for them and those who love them, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), and their web site (http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org) might help. Then from a deeply personal perspective, Terry Wise (www.terrywise.com) shares her experience as a suicide survivor in Waking Up: Climbing Through the Darkness. For anyone who's searched for the right thing to say to someone who is mourning or has sought answers following their own loss, Beth Rotondo has crafted Threads of Hope, An Offering for Those Who Grieve. Poignant and pertinent, this pocket-sized reader is both comfort and companion through the darkest times. If then, every month is dedicated to something different, to what or whom do we dedicate our days? Somewhere, someone you know is meeting life head-on. Sometimes the best thing we can do is listen...sometimes, more. |