Through the miracle of social media, Jessica Hoefer-Land in Lake Oswego, Oregon heard about last month's Project Keepsake story contest. She submitted a story explaining the significance of a tiny silver angel she keeps.
Jessica's keepsake is a reminder of a child—a child who died. It was a hard story for me to read, because again, I felt a strong connection with the story and the storyteller.
We, too, lost children. Tragic. Shocking. Numbing. Draining. Devastating. Painful. Infuriating. Surreal. Sad. There really aren't words in the English language to describe the experience.
In our case, almost no one close to us knew what to say, so most people said nothing. Some people questioned me as if I had somehow caused one or more of the miscarriages—yet another emotional blow amid our grief. I defended myself.
"No, I didn't drink caffeine," I answered. "No, I didn't even take a baby aspirin last week when I had that cold."
And so, my husband and I grieved privately—suffered in silence—with little or no support from family or friends. It was a dark, lonely time in our lives.
So, Jessica's story moved me when I read it. Her grandmother's gesture was kind and thoughtful and beautiful. Jessica's story is titled, "Joy Comes in the Morning."
Jessica is a wannabe urban homesteader with a blended family of four kids, three rescue dogs, and four chickens. She writes fora variety of mom and urban living magazines, plus she shares her parenting adventures on her blog cleverly titled, The Dalai Mama (www.travlingmercies-jessica.blogspot.com).
I encourage all of you to share your stories—especially during the holidays. Turn off the cell phones and televisions, sit with your family members, and share the stories that matter. Keep storytelling alive!