Spoken Word Blog Round-Up (Year Two)

Angie, over at Still Life with Circles, is starting up the 2nd Spoken Word Blog Round-Up. I participated in this last year and it was an amazing experience. I was still very early into my loss but I somehow found the courage to post and was welcomed into the community with love, acceptance and support. I believe it was a big turning point in my healing... just getting the words and thoughts out into the open and having someone tell me that I wasn't alone. If you are interested in participating or just want to follow along, here's the link: http://stilllifewithcircles.blogspot.com/2012/10/spoken-word-blog-round-up-two.html (Here is the link from last year: http://stilllifewithcircles.blogspot.com/2011/10/spoken-word-blog-round-up.html)

Just for Today

I came across this while catching up on my blog roll tonight and just had to share.

Just For Today For Bereaved Parents
By Vicki Tushingham

Just for today I will try to live through the next 24 hours
and not expect to get over my child's death,
but instead learn to live with it, just one day at a time.
Just for today I will remember my child's life, not just her death,
and bask in the comfort of all those treasured days
and moments we shared.
Just for today I will forgive all the family and friends
who didn't help or comfort me the way I needed them to.
They truly did not know how.
Just for today I will smile no matter how much I hurt on the inside,
for maybe if I smile a little,
my heart will soften and I will begin to heal.
Just for today I will reach out to comfort a relative or friend of my child,
for they are hurting too,
and perhaps we can help each other.
Just for today I will free myself from my self-inflicted burden of guilt,
for deep in my heart I know if there was anything in this world
I could of done to save my child from death,
I would of done it.
Just for today I will honor my child's memory
by doing something with another child
because I know that would make my own child proud.
Just for today I will offer my hand in friendship
to another bereaved parent
for I do know how they feel.
Just for today when my heart feels like breaking,
I will stop and remember that grief is the price we pay for loving
and the only reason I hurt is because
I had the privilege of loving so much
Just for today I will not compare myself with others.
I am fortunate to be who I am
and have had my child for as long as I did.
Just for today I will allow myself to be happy,
for I know that I am not deserting her by living on.
Just for today I will accept that I did not die when my child did,
my life did go on,
and I am the only one who can make that life worthwhile once more.