When you lose someone you love, your mind races ahead to all the important dates you’re going to miss them at…weddings, holidays, anniversaries, and of course, birthdays. I wondered last year, how I’d ever be able to smile again on July 17th, when we lost the person that made the day truly special, my dear friend Kassie.
I can tell you one thing- you can’t bring them back, and you’re always going to miss them. You’re always going to see that date on the calendar and wish with your whole entire heart they were with you to blow out the candles and open gifts just one last time.
And while y0u cannot change the fact that they’re gone, you can fight that all-consuming feeling of loss that grips your soul when you think of those special days forever changed. You can fight it, and you do fight it. You smile through the tears, you look at old pictures- and then, you fundraise.
That, my dears, was my fight. This year, today, Kassie would have been celebrating a birthday- and while sometimes I still get angry at fate that she’s not with us, I fight to preserve this as a special and happy day. I fight the feeling of loss and anger that comes with it, I fight the despair with hope and I ask people for help. I asked, and it was given…thank you.
Last month I decided to reclaim July 17th as a day of a celebration of LIFE instead of being a black hole on my calendar and in which to allow myself to wallow in loss. For all of you that helped get the message out, THANK YOU. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart- I had a goal of $500 and we MADE IT.
To all of my amazing readers and friends out there- July 17th has been reclaimed as a celebration of life- of her life, and ours. It a testament to the tenacity of the human spirit and our willingness to celebrate life, even when it is so easy to be angered and saddened when it feels needlessly cut short.
….and if you’ll excuse me I’m going to get acquainted with my box of tissues for a bit, but will be back to the blog shortly in order to continue to kicking butt, taking names, and feeling entirely grateful to have EACH of you along for the ride. 🙂
So happy the goal was met and to have been part of it. This was truly a tribute of love, Shannyn!
Your help made it possible Carole, thank you!
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