Rebirth

 

“Could we just look at what unites us instead of always searching for what divides us?”

Galatea Georgiou

 There is no way out of grief. It is through the emotions of grief that we can heal and become whole. Galatea’s poetry flows like the clear waters of a stream. It is transparent and straightforward. It refreshes the soul, washing away the resistance to feel what one needs to feel.  

  Her poetry is simple yet profound. The blending of the poems with her photography deepens the message.

“It takes guts to be gentle and kind.”

   With so much going on in the world today it is easy to fall. Despite the turmoil and disappointments, working toward our life purpose contributes to our own healing, and as we persevere, we build resilience and kindle the fragile light of hope within ourselves.

 I embrace the reflections and observations that her healing process evinced.

 Rebirth is the inspiring expression of her authentic self and the wisdom drawn out of pain and solitude. Rebirth is a journey toward healing. It is the discovery of one’s inner strength. It is about finding one’s spiritual home and caring for the inner child.

 

“fill your mind with knowledge

 and your heart with unconditional love

change yourself to the best version of you

only then we can rebuild the world.”

 

 I thank the poet for sharing Rebirth with me for My Writing Life blog. Galatea Georgiou is also a songwriter, musician and photographer. She lives in Sweden. You can visit her website here:

                     https://galateageorgiou.com/

Note: the photo added to this post is by Andy Holmes. 

Just Five Minutes with You, My Son: A Son's Suicide, a Mother's Journey

 

 The loss of a son or a daughter is a devastating, life-transforming experience for which nobody is prepared, and when the loss happens as a result of suicide the confusion may be even greater.

 No words can relieve the pain. Along with the vastness of such an emptiness, the love in a parent’s heart stays alive, and the relationship with the lost child is as unique as each person’s life journey.

 “Every day I create a bond between us. I write the story of his life and death. I write to remember,” Hanna Granot wrote.

    Doron was only nineteen years old when he ended his life, twenty years ago. His mother spent ten years writing Just Five Minutes with You, My Son. Doron was a happy, optimistic person, so his suicide shocked everybody. Hanna was determined to examine his life in search for answers.

 “I set out on the journey into Doron’s life to find healing, consolation and insights into our loss of him.”

 Reading Hanna’s book has been a very emotional experience. Immersing myself in Doron’s childhood was magical. The questions and reflections he expressed when he was a child cast a spell on me. From his interactions with one of his teachers and parents I perceived his giftedness.

   It was unsettling and painful for me to learn that at age nineteen his military duties had chronically deprived him of the sleep hours he needed to maintain his health. Today we know that regular sleep is an essential part of the foundation of mental health.

   “Just Five Minutes with You, My Son” celebrates Doron's life and reflects on   various aspects of grief and love. It is a source of support, comfort and understanding to parents who have lost a child. It is also a resource for those who want to genuinely support others in similar situations.

   One aspect of the book that enchanted me was the way she travels with her imagination through time, and to various places. She also dives into her son’s mind and even creates imaginary situations. For example, she wrote an imaginary conversation between Doron and Anne Frank.

 This book is a reminder that it is okay to not be okay. It may encourage people to seek help at times of crisis, for it sheds light on the helplessness of the loved ones who are left  with all the questions.

 Nobody is immune to such a tragedy.

   I appreciate Hanna’s courage and the insights she shares, a result of the wisdom that emerges from the depths of bereavement:

  "I understand that the pursuit of perfection is misguided at its very core. There is nothing immaculate in our world."

   I thank Hanna Granot for trusting me with her book.  “Just Five Minutes with you, My Son” may help save lives, and it may kindle a light to connect people through understanding and kindness.

 

 

 

 

Gabe's Christmas Wish by Katrina Doucet

  

 A heartwarming story, endearing characters and cozy scenes make this children’s book a unique read.

 Gabe lost his loving parents. This is his first Christmas Eve without them. He misses them and makes a wish as he contemplates his snow globe, the last gift from his parents.

 The mysterious snow globe will carry him into an intriguing adventure.

Gabe’s Christmas Wish creates a safe space to acknowledge and accept the emotions and feelings of grief, while empowering children to stay hopeful.

 I marveled at the illustrations by Natasha Pelley-Smith, for they transport our minds to imaginary places of peace and solace.

 With so many lives lost to war, COVID, extreme weather events across the world, shootings and other social ailments, we need resources to support children through their grief.

 Exquisite words, delicate illustrations and a message of hope will help children to allay their stress. The book will remind them they are not alone in their plight.

Gabe’s Christmas Wish is a warm refuge for kids, an invitation to travel with the imagination and dream; it will be comforting to people of all ages who lost loved ones. It may help children to come to terms with the emptiness that cannot be erased or ignored, but can only be filled with love.

 I thank Katrina Doucet for kindly sending me a copy of her precious book, which will be released in August 2022.

You can visit her website here.