Send Care Package to a Grieving Family

This week's act of kindness centered around sending comfort to a grieving family. I have been following a Facebook page for about 8 months now, which was created in memory of a beautiful little boy who passed away early in 2013. I happened upon this page after my Facebook Wall showed a comment made by one of my friends from high school on this memorial site. I was instantly captured by the beautiful smile of this little boy; and then completely drawn in by the raw and powerful words of his mother who bears her heart in every thing she posts. You can't help but grieve with her; and as much as I know she didn't want this "impact" on people's lives, she has brought so many people together through her words. Not just the people who share or follow her messages, but indirectly by reminding people to cherish the loved ones they share their lives with. I never get through one of her posts without tears in my eyes, and numerous times Bug has walked in on me openly crying. Bug talks about their "shooting star" numerously and always asks to look at his pictures. I have such an incredible admiration for the strength this woman has for sharing her pain so publicly and beautifully. So many people hide behind grief, but she is so honest. It has truly opened my eyes on how to be there for someone who is grieving, especially given my line of work.

Recently, one of her posts spoke about how even after 15 months, she is in the same, if not more pain when dealing with her son's death. She simply stated she still needs hugs. I have always wanted to send something to her and her family, and her need helped make me come up with an idea. We put a load of Hershey hugs in a jar, and Bug wrote a little message for the top of it, saying "When you need a hug". I wrote her a letter for her care package, explaining that since I can't give her a real hug, I figured a chocolate hug might be just as sweet...especially since it comes with an extension of a hug from Calgary. 

We also made a sun catcher for her out of melted pony beads with star cut outs. Her son was a star and they refer to him as their shooting star. I explained in the note that we have made one for us last summer, in memory of a dear friend of mine. Once we came up with the jar of hugs, this craft popped back into my head. It just seemed right to make it for them, so that even in the sunlight, their shooting star is shining.

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