September 8 Marks Three Years

A Message to My Mother:

I can't believe that on September 8 it will be three years since you passed away. Every day, I miss hearing your voice, your optimistic outlook on life, your caring ways, your strength in dealing with life challenges and of course, your presence.

I wear something of yours everyday-- a pin, a ring, earrings, a necklace--to keep your memory close to my heart. My hope is that you are looking down on me and smiling, that you know that I will keep trying to honor your memory, and that your memory lives on in all of those who you have touched.

Forever Memory Pin

In December 2008, I made a New Year’s resolution at OpenforHope.com that I would create a lapel pin, which would be a symbol of hopefulness for those who had experienced the loss of a loved one. By wearing this pin, it would honor the memory of their loved one. The person wearing the pin would also have an opportunity to speak about their grief to others. Sometimes it just helps to know others care and that they relate to your grief. Hopefully, the person that is wearing the pin would feel that they are not alone.

In our society grief is not spoken about or is hidden. I think all of us need the opportunity to speak about our grief, even if the grief is from a loss in the distant past. Since we do not wear black to show we are in mourning anymore, this pin would demonstrate our grieving in a subtle way and would be uplifting to those who wear it.

Well, this is one New Year’s resolution that I’ve kept. The pin is designed and I’ve named it the Forever Memory Pin. More news about the pin will follow. Stay tuned!