And in our world of plenty; We can spread a smile of joy; Throw your arms around the world; At Christmas time.
~Bob Geldof and Midge Ure~
Each year, since my son passed away, my family and I have decided to “Give Away His Measure of Love…” Let me explain.
As we hang the lights and trim the tree, I am reminded of the very important person who is missing from the celebration. I understand that my hurt is related to the depth of my feelings. I no longer have Stephen with me physically to give him his measure of love.
We all face moments like this, where we have this love within our hearts, and the person is no longer with us, for any number of reasons. And boy, it hurts. It hurts to feel that love inside and not be able to release it.
It is at that moment we all have a choice. We can keep that love to ourselves, or we can look for opportunities to share it with others in honor of the ones we long for…
For my family, we have made it our mission to share “Stephen’s measure of love.” One year, we bought presents for single parents and their children. I remember carefully wrapping small gratitude journals for each mother, with a note inside asking them to look for the simple blessings that surrounded them, even on the toughest days. That got me through the first Christmas without Stephen.
Since that time, at various times of the year, we choose to do things that allow us to give away the love we have for him. With each act of kindness, I feel Stephen all around me, smiling at the fact that we are turning this into something beautiful. This year, we are serving Christmas dinner, and providing support to families that need it.
Our story is not unique. We all stand around the holiday table, and remember someone who is not there. So, this year, instead of simple remembrance, why not give away their measure of love, to a person who may otherwise never experience it? Find someone who needs it, and give it away. I promise you, it will be a gift for you as well.
So, I’m officially starting the 2011 Measure of Love Challenge….each one of you needs to do the following:
- Think of one special person who you want to remember.
- Find a way to share their measure of love with another.
- Share your story, with me via email, or on the JOLT page. Tell me who you are thinking of and what you did in their honor for another…
- Pass the challenge along to all of your friends.
I will share all the stories I receive before New Year’s.
Let’s see how much love we can pass along in the last 17 days of this year….
Hugs and Kisses,
Kelly
This i an excellent way to express you loss in a positive productive way.In Memory of my late husband 7 best friend Harry Carter and my late son William Ryam. god bless they both for they r missed more than words can say.
I have tears of joy for the beauty of your words. If only every other person in the world could think like you, can you imagine what a wonderous thing that would be.
this is a great idea….it is a good thing to do a good deed for someone who needs it and they don’t have to be less fortunate, some people are extremely busy doing so much for others, some people don’t want to ask for help when overwhelmed…or someone may be going through a rough time with an illness and not want to feel like a burden. I went through a life threatening cancer diagnosis 18 mths ago, i am fine for now thank god..so I know how hard it is to ask for help or to let others know you are overwhelmed, this week i made two very delicious cherry cakes and i took one to a woman who is very busy and an important part of my daughters life. The other cake will go too a friend who is going through chemotherapy this winter….who wants to bake when your busy helping others or feeling the blahs! keep up the good work…
This is great.’ Something good from something bad, something happy from something sad’ sorry having been a poet these lines come rolling in. Seasons Greeting to you and yours and i will endevour to pass it on 🙂