Page 15 - 2017 Autumn-Winter Issue

of other people and to better control hurt, anger and the right to set the standards of my very personal grief, to

disappointment. measure my path using my own yardstick. I have mastered

Most importantly, I have learned that rich healing takes an essential lesson. “Do the next thing.”

place when hurting people extend themselves to others who I recall the words of my friend, Pat, whose daughter

struggle in grief. Listening, Stephanie passed away years

sharing with honesty, I have learned that rich healing ago, when we were talking one
encouraging. These gifts of day about our hopes for again

truth and service honor the takes place when hurting people experiencing life’s purest joy.
memory of our precious “I’ll die happy with a broken
children and continue their extend themselves to others who heart.”
legacy.
But this Monday before struggle in grief. This week there are beans to
snap.

Thanksgiving I’m crying. Carol Thompson of Tyler, Texas is the mother of Sarah Kathryn Thompson
I miss my girl. It’s hard to envision the years ahead having who died in a 2005 pedestrian hit-and-run. Carol is a member of the local
lost the most vital part of my life. I am not ashamed of my Compassionate Friends chapter which serves East Texans, and finds healing

sorrow or my tears or worry that I’m not “making progress.” in writing about the everyday-life aspects of living with grief after the death
of a beloved child.
What parent does not think on his or her son or daughter

whether they are alive or have passed on? These thoughts

cannot be shut off like a water faucet. I have given myself

How I Found Hope ...

© alexugalek/fotolia.com As a bereaved grandparent, I found hope through love and faith. I will
always miss my grandchild Angel Avery, but when my heart and soul is filled
with hope, love and faith, the burden of grief no longer rules my life. For me,
hope is being able to see there is light despite all of the darkness in grief, and
I believe that my faith tells me that there is an afterlife and one day I shall be
reunited with my loved ones in heaven. Because of this, my journey of grief
became much lighter and brighter. As a grandparent, I cannot fix the loss of
Angel Avery for my family, but I can share this belief of hope with them to
lighten the burden of their grief journey.

Healing Hugs of Hope, Love and Faith to all
from Angel Avery’s Grandmother, Debbie Fluhr

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