A Long Journey Shared

Warriors

Irene, (me) Chris

aka

(FIRM/SCREAM/ICESCREAM here on this page= IRENE)

(CHRIS aka,

our Warrior

&

BREAST CA Survivor here on this page) 

gathered together last night on a chilly Florida night

together again~

BRrrrrr

Good Morning morning,

coffee is ever so hot and delightful,

4 leggeds brilliant and still snuggled in sleeping this morning as the cold cold winter air is alive and well

in the sunshine state still.

Wakie Wakie, it's time for another rip roaring day of

preparing for the holidays!

Out in the Midwest folks are waking to the deep freeze and gazing at snow, the arduous tasks of bent snow shovels and the decisions to be made of whether to snuggle down or try to make a dent in snow covered vehicles and driveways that look like they are covered til' spring.

I vote for staying in and staying warm!

I am thinking of the many journey's taken

after talking with many over the last couple of days

and the paths that have been worn

along with the souls of moccasins and hearts

from loss and grief ...

BUT

most remarkably

I am continually amazed at the resiliency of the

human spirit.

Through it all, and into the light

when hearing the stories

I stand rather humbly as I hear many stories

only to be reminded that many do not realize fully

how far they have truly traveled along their paths.

Often needing someone to gently remind them,

"you have traveled quite a distance my friend

from where you first began along the way".

It just may be that when grief found its way initially into the heart and knocked one off balance so quickly, that the nervous system does not realize the long days, months and even years of work, pain, tears, and trails one travels... So that even when you find yourself standing in the lights of healing, you do not recognize how far you have really traveled!

A long journey it is.

One that is sometimes dark, sometimes light, sometimes exhausting... so much so that you feel as though you are holding on tightly to something although not quite sure what that something is or why.

These women in the picture are true

Warriors; both having walked through the pain of loss

both having known the pain of losing loved ones

and ached for the opportunity of having

"just one more moment, one more day"

and

yet

both knowing somewhere deeply in their hearts,

they loved with all of their hearts,

gave with all that they were.

They now can walk with pride of having loved

and

been loved.

Their journeys now on a different path,

one that is embracing the light

now they can

STOMP

with great gratitude.

Chris now without knowing has a favorite new color:

PINK

She has been gifted PINK;

robes, hats, shirts, ribbons

she wears all with pride!

She has been in NY where she underwent 

a double mastectomy 2 weeks after diagnosis of

Breast Cancer.

She joins with me

in

saying

CANCER SUCKS.

Chris never had the time for a pity party;

she had to be proactive, she had to 

STOMP

into action, into surgery.

She left 

"the girls in NY" but she returned to life

in Florida

She is a Warrior

this page "blew up" with energy and prayers for her

while she was there, the air was filled with prayers being sent her way... with thoughts on the wind for a quick recovery, and for 

Cancer to HIT THE ROAD

Chris was doing Battle as were others here.

She returned home

with and to a 

Warriors welcome.

These women have shared in a "sacred society" a group of others who walked a journey of grief, who shared the loss and pain of loved ones. They are a part of a community, an elite community known as

those who have come together through their grief.

They are Survivors,

They are Warriors of gentle hearts.

They will take a STAND and they have a knowing look in their eyes, that can be spotted across the room by many, they have walked the walk and talk the talk.

I am honored to have walked beside them

and

to stand by them.

"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from."

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Lovely quote from the pioneer of the Hospice world,

Dr Ross remains one of my heros' today!

I hope you are taking best care of YOU as we approach the holidays, remember to be

KIND to you and those around you,

honor your loved ones that have died,

say their names

include them in the celebrations of the holidays,

perhaps with a candle

maybe with a gift that will be donated in their memory.

 

As you prepare for these holidays, 

I hope that you will find the support that you need.

That in your community, there are avenues to meet others who have journeyed this path, that have come together and now can stand together in a healthy and helpful way.

It took and takes

COURAGE

to ask for help along the journey of grief,

it took and takes continual

COURAGE

to walk in the door while in pain of loss or need of support

These women in the photo are of courage

and are

Warriors!~

Some you will meet may still have anxiety, some maybe will have moments they know fear...

others may be "worriers"!

BUT

all are survivors,

even if some do not yet know that they are.

These women Irened and Chris

are the face of 

Survivors

who are

WARRIORS!

STOMP 

"Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage."

Maya Angelou

As you move into your day,

where ever you are,

whatever you are doing,

Do it with amazing grace,

Do it

with Courage

of a

Warrior

This is YOUR day,

make it OUTSTANDING.

Just Imagine,

the feeling practicing those random acts of kindness today!!!

SMILE 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNKhIJfB510&feature=related

The live den cam is almost in the den of Lily the Black Bear out there in snow covered Ely MN

http://www.bear.org/

Visit there and see what is new, and you will find more than you can imagine on North American Black Bear

education and information!~

The fire is burning, its embers are hot, the sage and cedar fill the air, with thoughts on the wind, the prayers being offered UP.

Holding up special prayers for Dahlee in NJ as she faces uncertain times there, know we are with you, you are never stronger than when you ask for and reach out to others... We here are holding you closely dearHeart, along with some powerful angels here and in the next place.

To those who are ill, those facing end of life care right now on Lily the Black Bear page,

we are with you, you are never alone...

May you find comfort in knowing,

we are together with Bear Spirit

with you.

To those who are serving our great Nation,

To our President and his family,

May The Creator keep you safe and bless you all.

God Bless the USA.

Walk In Beauty,

DRSES

That is the

HOPE in

Healing Heartaches

http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/

Still time to get those orders in and shipped in 24 hours to you of

Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life

and

Visit

http://www.2wolvescreations.com/

She is doing some incredible things there for those one of a kind gifts that are sitting in your mind ready to come to life for those gifts for ya!~