I love heart-felt stories. Someone shared with me a story of how love can be felt and shown, in many different ways.
      This woman lost her son, suddenly and unexpected, although he had been battling an illness for some time. You expect to lose your parents, but losing a child must be a huge heartache; unimaginable.
      I feel holidays are tougher when going through grief. On July 4th, as I understand it, a family member  who shot off a firework, looked up and asked for his sibling to show a little sign. He said, "This one's for you!" and lit it.  Someone else in the family had impeccable timing with their camera ... the firework shot off turned out to be ... an elongated RED SHAPED HEART, with little white stars surrounding it! Seeing that photo gave me holy shivers; the hairs on my arm stood straight up when the woman shared her story and showed me that photograph. 
      I love synchronicity! What a way to pay homage to and remember a loved one; and to get it back, from the other side!

      I have a close friend who has been taking classes at her church to learn how to support people who are grieving.  This week the class was given a list of the people who had recently lost loved ones.
      Having just lost her own husband, she was proud of herself for doing so well (as she should be) since recently dealing with the loss of the love of her life, and she was ... until she read the list.  And, on that list ... was her own spouse's name.  He passed away a little over a week ago. 
      I can only imagine how devastating this had to be ... talk about a test of strength, oh my gosh!  I listened; I let her sob and cry.  I did what I could, from a distance.  I felt so helpless, just wanting to hug her, and hold her through that empty sinking feeling she must have felt at that moment.
      It truly is people like my friend, who are heroes, to me.  I can only pray for strength like of this woman, should I ever have to deal with anything as devastating as what she and her family are dealing with now.