Today is a tough day for me…

  “The longevity of our soul lies not only in the hand sof God, but in how we are remembered.”-Wendy Louise …a.k.a. my mom

 Good morning! Today is a special and bittersweet day for my family. On this day in 1970, my brother was born. We lost him tragically in October of 1997, from a fatal reaction to a bee sting. While every day without someone you love is hard, certain days are even harder-birthdays, anniversaries, etc. A bit later today I am heading down to my Mom’s house and we are going to have a slumber party and surely share laughs and tears as we have done for the decade of birthdays Caleb has celebrated in heaven.

Despite the sadness that radiates during this time of year, there are many joyful memories. It also serves as a reminder of how the world can change overnight-and there is no time like today to make today matter.

 Your Turn: Today, I ask you to share with me in celebrating my brother’s life. If today, each of us takes just a moment to let go of all of life’s minutia and spend some quality time with someone we love, I am sure Caleb will look down and smile. That is the birthday gift I would like to give him today…I hope you will partake in the party.

Today’s Affirmation: Today, I let go of life’s little stressors and instead engage in life’s true joy.


Comments

Today is a tough day for me… — 14 Comments

  1. Having lost a sister to a car accident – I know how a family misses a member. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. My solace is knowing that we are all energy, and energy never dies – it simply changes form. Like water is ice, is steam, is water – same energy – different forms.

  2. I wish you well today, Brook. You live life in a way I have seldom seen. You experience the pain and the joys. The way you seek out solutions to daily challenges is remarkable.

  3. Your good morning message touched me. I will keep your family in my thoughts and prayers today and I will definitely join the party.

  4. Tonight, after work, the chores, the financial worries are all being put away to have a little bbq with my boys, 16 & 24, and with my boyfriend and his son. The smell of the grill going seems to bring smiles to us! I am sure Caleb will be smiling too.

  5. Noel,
    I certainly feel your sadness. In 1996, I was diagnosed with a fatal liver ailment and my dear friend with cancer of the lymph nodes. When we spoke of this, he said to me, ” You are going to survive because you can be fixed, but not me.” Sad to say, he passed away in the fall of 1997 and I, through the gift of life from a wonderful family in Alabama, received a liver transplant in March 1997. Eleven years later, I still think of my friend and his love and support for me even during his own trial. I was blessed to have him as my friend for nearly 30 years. God Bless You and your family and when I think of Russell, I will think of your brother.
    -Maggie-

  6. Brook, condolences to you and your family, even at this late date. I wish you and your family a treasured time of sharing memories of your brother. Memories last forever!

  7. Wow, I think about this often and I would like to share a story. Although it is quite different, it makes me celebrate life and how much we should celebrate. My heart goes out to your family, and your mother, for no mother should have to bury her child.

    about 5 yrs ago, I had a fire, and with no insurence lost everything I owned. My 3 kids were ok, but as a single mother I was so upset because many memories were gone, and everything I had worked so hard for was gone. I cried for a week, wondering how I would survive.

    About a week after my fire, there was another fire in the same county I lived in but this time 2 small children , 2 and 4 yr old brother and sister had lost there lives. I thought how horrible I was for crying over material things, when these little babies were gone.

    My life changed forever in those few short weeks. It made me stop caring about all of the material things many people are stuck on, and cherish everyday I have will my children and those I love, because we can always buy a new couch, new clothes , whatever but we can never get back ones that we love. Instead of thinking of my fire as a tragedy, I now see it as a blessing. It woke me up to how precious my children are, and how life is in general.

    So as hard it is for you, I am so happy to hear that you celebrate the wonderful time you had with him on this earth. And being a member of your MTM, I am sure he is so proud of you and how you have helped so many people, transform thier lives. maybe this will help them as well.

    Happy Birthday Caleb. I know you are smiling down at your family.

  8. This resonated with me. Friday August 1st would have been my daughter, Michelle’s 33rd birthday.
    She died suddenly ten years ago.
    I will call my daughters and organise a slumber party.
    We always have lunch, send flowers or something, but Chelle would love the slumber party.
    I will cook her favorite foods and we will share photos and memories.
    Thank you. Janice in Australia.

  9. Dear Wendy,

    I am very sorry for you and your family’s loss, but I will in fact honor Caleb and your family by saying a prayer, as I already have, and spending extra special time with my own loved ones.

    Thank you for sharing and God bless

  10. Dear Brook,

    I’m sorry for your loss! I’ll give my family an extra hug tonight in memory of Caleb, and try to radiate a little extra joy on his behalf.

  11. Hi Brook – wow, I had a God-incident reading your message today. I usually forget to read your Good Mornings (sorry 🙁 ), but for some reason today I saw the link and clicked it. I am having a particularly stressful week, moreso than usual, and I was thinking I should take tomorrow off just to regroup and refocus on what’s important in life – my husband and five kids – so I can stop feeling less stressed about the stuff that really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things (like the minutiae at work). So my contribution to your gift is to take tomorrow off! Blessings, M

  12. Dear Brooke, You and your Mom are in my family’s thoughts and prayers as you celebrate the memories of your brother. I also ask for everyone’s prayers as we buried my brother yesterday, August 24, 2008. He had a stroke a week ago, two heart attacks that finally took his life. He will be missed very much and I am planning to have a slumber party to celebrate our memories also. Peace and love Bettye

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