Always Remembered. A Mother's Journey Through Loss, Grief & Hope.

From the Author:

Sit back, grab a cup of coffee and read through this book of healing and hope written in a way that is "conversational".

When a child dies suddenly, without any medical rationale, one is challenged to find ways to move through this journey. The questions of "why" have to turn into, let's make a plan on how we will get through this rather than focusing on something that has no answers. The I "can do this" is what made us learn to carry the oppressively heavy weight of such a loss.

What is intriguing about this journey is that I learned it is indeed possible to get through it. In fact, life can be good, joyful and meaningful once again. It is up to us to find the good in our tragedy. We are grateful to be able to do this by the grace of God. Our Faith plays a huge role in our ability to find the best of what life has to offer.

Finding my purpose in life came through the struggling and asking of "why" do I need to go through this. The "responses" simply seemed to be, because you can. Also, what has become clear is that my suffering is intended to help others. When we help others, we help ourselves. This suffering made me realize that I am far stronger than I ever thought I was, but it is through faith, prayer, family and friends that allows me to see through the darkness. It is my purpose to be a "light" for those who can't find it on their own.

There is much to gain from being in such a storm and I have learned that when I'm feeling low, tomorrow will be a better day. The saying my son left for us "Live by Faith, One Day at a Time" has been the most powerful of reminders. We only have the day we are in, yesterday is gone, tomorrow isn't here yet..live in the moment and we do so in the best way we can. Our minds are powerful tools, so we must find positives in our lives to carry us through. We have control of very little in life, but we have control over how we choose to handle the difficulties in life.

My prayer for the readers is that they too will find their own purpose and ways to find joy in life despite the dark they may now see most of the time. Dealing with a profound loss is incredibly difficult, but we are stronger than our situations. I am here to tell you, this is so true. I would have never believed it myself.

My hope is that if there is only one thing in this book helps you, it has accomplished all that it needed to. Reading my journal, which is how the content of this book came about, was very difficult yet it reminded me of where I was and where I am today, ten years later. It reminded me of why so many wanted me to write this in a book form. While I resisted the task for many years, timing is everything and coming up on the ten year anniversary of our son's reward to eternal life, the timing is good now.

Shattered hearts never heal to be the same, but the pieces come back together little by little and results in the "new" you, the you that is intended to be if you can seek the lessons to learn from struggles in life and see the good in each and every one. Nothing we experience is made to break us, our experiences are intended to "make us" who we are meant to be.

Be that pillar of strength for those who need you. Make good of your suffering and live your best life.