Posts Tagged "hope"

The Healing Path

Posted by on Jun 15, 2009 in Healing, Uncategorized | 1 comment

One of the kindest things about losing a loved one is that we tend to remember only the most wonderful stories about that person, all else is unimportant and forgotten.  As I think of my sister Susie and look at her pictures and memorabilia surrounding me I remember all the most funny and delightful experiences we shared as sisters.   I’m glad May is over because when I handed over the keys to her apartment for the last time it felt like I was reopening a wound - the total finality left me physically and emotionally spent.  A part of me looked forward to the ending, being finished with the work of packing and unpacking all her personal...

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Embracing a Joyous Life

Posted by on May 5, 2009 in Healing | 1 comment

I wrote a small item awhile ago on my friend Sherry a Breast Cancer Survivor; although new at the business of “thriving” she is running joyously toward her new beginnings.  I received her email blast last evening where she routed her wedding pictures to those of us who are fortunate to be in her circle of family and friends.  I had received a voice message from her Sunday night telling me she was thinking of me and just hearing her voice was a tonic for my soul.  In the mist of her celebration she remembered to share my grief, holding me in her heart as I work through the physical, legal and emotional business of closing out my sister’s affairs.   As I...

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Healing Memories of Faye “Susie” Chapa

Posted by on Apr 18, 2009 in Healing | 3 comments

I struggled to find the right words to write my sister’s obituary this week.  Her body was shipped home from Cancun late Thursday night, she died of a heart attack while on vacation with my family.  The past few days have been difficult as we communicated long distance through phone calls and text messaging, bless my 13 year old niece Simone for being our communication hub for all the family members.  The frustration over distance, language and culture differences as we worked through getting everyone back to Minnesota was overwhelming.  We are all here now, my brother finally arrived from New Mexico to join us in our grief. My sister had a...

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Hope and Gratitude

Posted by on Apr 14, 2009 in Life Lessons | 1 comment

 One of my friends taught me about practicing Gratitude a few years ago and introduced me to the Gratitude Journal as part of a women’s retreat. It was a new experience for me to write down what seemed obvious to me but after practicing for a while I’ve learned how much we take stuff for granted, especially the loved ones in our lives. Last year around this time I lost a friend to suicide and last fall my father died at 91 years old, and my life lesson was to appreciate and be grateful for all those opportunities to just BE with family and friends. Yesterday I got a message telling me my sister Susie was not feeling well, I was surprised as she just left for...

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