It has been sunny today and I am thankful that soon our Seattle Seahawks will be playing in the Super Bowl, and I need a diversion. I am trying to write my speech for the Bellevue Rotary while thinking ahead to the fact that I will speak at my lovely friend Sydney's memorial next weekend. I am also looking back over the past hour when a longtime friend came to pick me up to do a personal photo project- photos of his lovely and compassionate sister and her husband and three daughters before we lose this gem to ovarian cancer.
This all comes after an evening in which it was my honor to speak at the Eleanor Henry Reed Guild Fundraiser for Children's Hospital. The event was indeed a big success and we were thrilled to display a dozen large prints of the Soul Collection. Each time I speak I carry with me the images in my head of the families that inspire me to move forward with this work. Last night I spent a few minutes talking about Sydney and her Valentines, which is a bittersweet thing for me. My own Valentines will go out with her in mind.
I am thankful for all of you who have agreed to write to my new friend, Barry. I have been enjoying making some mail art for that kiddo and delighting in the fact that so many of you have promised to write also, lets really follow through and honor this young life with a few minutes of our attention.
Some thank yous are in order: To Deb Hamby for having the inspiration to call Rositas for special tamales for our friend Francisco and to Rositas at Greenlake for responding with six to our request for two, and for doing this at no cost, truly a lovely and caring gesture. To Eric Ortiz at Smashbox Cosmetics at Nordstrom for fitting me in at the last minute to do makeup for my speech at the request of our wonderful office manager and amazing assistant John Flodin. To Pat McReynolds of KING 5 for taking time to come introduce me and to use his amazing voice to help raise funds for Children's Hospital. To Mac and Lulu for always being willing to talk to their mom, even when I am crying and need to hear their wonderful voices to remind me that doing this project will lead to another mom having a piece of their memory held intact. To those of you who read this Blog and share the work of Soulumination with others, I am so very grateful.
I close as always, in love and peace, Lynette Please take the time to read a most amazing poem written by my friend to her son Tal who was stillborn. He is pictured with Sydney above in a shot taken by his uncle and lovingly touched by the hand of Stephen at Wallingford Photo who donated his time to make this shot one of a truly angelic nature.
I did not know grief but it found me. It hurled itself upon my heart!
Squeezed it, wrenched it, and tore it apart.
I did not know the depth of pain, the shattered pieces, the broken dreams.
the sleepless night, the endless tears and broken seams.
Grief, I say is its own beast
And on one's heart does it feast.
But bear in mind that my heart will be my guide
This unthinkable loss, I shall learn to carry and not hide
Grief, you may take your course and rip right through
for in this process, to my heart I shall be true
as my heart begins to mend, the deep scar will remain
For it is life's deepest wounds that cause this pain
A beautiful little boy, so perfectly formed
Not one breath did he take on the day it stormed
but he touched our lives in so many ways
In our hearts and minds he forever stays
The loss of a child and all that he could be
Will forever become an intergral part of me
I shall never forget his sweet little face
His delicate hands and his lovely grace
His soul is forever entwined with mine
His spirit flies free and I know he is fine
The intense love for my sweet angel Tal
Whose life he lived within my well
My little dew drop, my gentle angel, oh let it be,
I know you, I've always known you, fly free!!!!
