Saturday, October 23, 2010

How to survive the grief?

I looked up this web site, which gave suggestions for people who are suffering loss of a loved one. It was a neat idea. When my Mom passed away, we gave many of her clothes to a nursing home near by. But some things I just wanted to keep, and have near me. I only wished that I would have kept more and used them for Memorial Quilts, like these ladies make. It was a very healing idea!  Read it and see what you think?

Memorial Quilts

So what did you do with their clothes?

cluttered closet

Well, you probably gave the nicest garments to friends and family, and that's a good thing. But what about the rest of their clothing? It will help de-clutter your life and lighten your grief a little bit if you eventually clean out your loved one's closet, and dispose of their clothes, shoes, ties or purses and other personal items.

And we know exactly what you should do with some of the fabrics... make one of these memorial quilts! (Or have one made for you).

Remembering Bobby

One family who lost their 16-year-old son Bobby to a sudden cardiac death, used quilt making as a ritual for working through their grief. Five quilts were made, one for each member of the family, each of Bobby's younger siblings, and each parent. One of Bobby's shirt pockets was sewn onto each quilt, and the oldest child remarked that the pocket looked as if it was actually on Bobby's chest.

As part of their griefwork, each night the children write a private note to Bobby and tuck it into his pocket. In this way, the kids share their day with their lost brother. The grieving parents also use the quilts in their own way. Bobby's mother wraps herself in her quilt to be close to her son, and his father hung his quilt at work in his office.

Just the gathering of women (and men!) for quilt making can provide much-needed emotional and social support in your time of bereavement. We realize that some people are just not cut out for a project like this. So we present below several different ways you can go with your memorial quilt project.

http://www.recover-from-grief.com/memorial-quilts.html

"Man, when he does not grieve, hardly exists."  ~Antonio Porchia

"Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose."

"Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow."  ~Dan Rather

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