Words That Comfort

Now and then I have come across a poem, saying, or quotation that speaks to my heart and brings comfort. I hope they do the same for you. Please email me with any others you find that you wish to share. I will give whatever credit I am able to give, however some of these have no authors listed.

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free

I'm following the path God laid for me.

I took His hand when I heard Him call

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day

To laugh, to love, to work or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way

I found that peace at close of day.

If my parting has left a void,

Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss

Ah, yes, these things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow

I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life's been full, I've savored much

Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,

Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your heart and share with me

God wanted me now, He set me free.

If tears could build a stairway,
And memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to Heaven,
And bring you home again.
(from a plaque in a catalog)

You can't prevent the birds of

sorry flying over your head -

but you can prevent them from

building nests in your hair.

When your parent dies you have

lost your past. When your child

dies you have lost your future.

I'll lend you for a little time

a child of mine, God said.

For you to love the while he lives

and mourn for when he's dead.

It may be six or seven years

or twenty-two or three.

But will you till I call him back

take care of him for me?

He'll bring his charms to gladden you

and shall his stay be brief

You'll have his lovely memories

as solace for your grief.

I cannot promise he will stay

since all from earth return,

But there are lessons taught down there

I want this child to learn.

I've looked the wide world over

in my search for teachers true,

And from the throngs that crowd life's lane

I have selected you.

Now will you give him all your love,

nor think the labor vain,

Nor hate me when I come to call

to take him back again.

I fancied that I heard them say,

"Dear Lord, thy will be done."

For all the joy thy child shall bring

The risk of grief we'll run.

We'll shelter hm with tenderness.

we'll love him while we may.

And for the happiness we've known,

forever grateful stay.

"But shall the angels call for him

much sooner than we've planned,

We'll brave the bitter grief that comes

and try to understand."

Life will never be the same without my son,
but Heaven never seemed so near!
(from a magnet I bought in an angel store)

Perhaps they are not stars in the sky, but

rather openings where our loved ones shine

down to let us know they are happy.

- Eskimo Legend

Often the test of courage

is not to die but to live.

- Alfieri

The Elephant in the Room

by Terry Kettering

There's an elephant in the room.

It is large and squatting, so it is hard to get around it.

Yet we squeeze by with, "How are you?"

And, "I'm fine."

And a thousand other forms of trivial chatter.

We talk about the weather.

We talk about work.

We talk about everything else -

Except the elephant in the room.

There's an elephant in the room.

We all know it is there.

We are thinking about the elephant

- as we talk together.

It is constantly on our minds.

For you see, it is a very big elephant.

It has hurt us all.

But we do not talk about the elephant

in the room.

Oh, please, say her name.

Oh, please, say "Barbara" again.

Oh, please, let's talk about the elephant

in the room.

For if we talk about her death,

Perhaps we can talk about her life?

Can I say "Barbara" to you and no have

you look away?

For if I cannot, then you are leaving me

Alone....

In a room....

With an elephant.

You don't raise heroes - you raise sons and,

If you treat them like sons they'll turn out to be

Heroes - even if is just in your own eyes.

There's only one thing worse than

speaking ill of the dead - and that is

not speaking of the dead at all.

What is a Little Boy?

He is found climbing on, under, off, on top -

running, walking and under your feet.

He is a carpenter, a tree climber

and a house breaker.

He is always loved by his mother and

disliked by all the little girls.

Older brothers and sisters tolerate him;

adults close their ears to him.

He is seen with mud on his face, a bruise

on his forehead, a bandaid on his finger...

He is a bundle of confusion,

noise and curiosity.

He is locked out of your cookie jar and Daddy's

toolbox but not out of your heart...

At least, not while he can still say -

"I love you, Mom and Dad."