FB friend ~ LRB visit

I received a beautiful post on my Little Red Bird wall yesterday   A new LRB friend shared her cardinal story here:

My mom Patty Jones Robinson past away in March.  A few days after she passed I was running by a lake. I took a few moments to walk down a path and look out on the water, just thinking of her. When I started walking back to the trail to continue my run, a red bird flew right in front of me and landed on a tree limb just to my right. I felt a strange sense of comfort as the bird just sat there and watched me continue on. Since then, I have had a couple more of these encounters... may seem simple, but I love the peace it brings and makes me feel as if my Mom is with me. 

Thank dear Amanda for sharing your story with us here.  Confirming our loved ones from above are always near.  Another member of our Cardinal Club!

Patrick's LRB Visit

In honor of mothers day,  I'd like to share a beautiful story from my dear friend Patrick P. I've known Patrick as long as my husband and have been blessed with his friendship since.  Not to mention wonderful haircuts and hilarious stories over the years.  In a conversation yesterday during our visit, he told me he couldn't wait to tell me what happened to him this past week.

Patrick went on tell me that he's been in a bit of a funk.  His anxious feelings have caused some added fear.  Amazing how our minds tend to go to the worst possibility.  He didn't have to say all his thoughts outloud, I knew the seriousness of his feelings by his energy.

Wednesday morning as he was questioning his thoughts and feeling upset he looked out his window and saw a bright red cardinal staring at him, tilting his head to the side.  The bird was within arms length with only the glass separating them.  In all the years of living in his home, he had NEVER seen this before.  Something special was felt with this visit.  He just knew it. 

Patrick's father passed away several months ago.  Coincidence?  No!

The next day, as Patrick reached up to the top of his bookshelf  to find his book he had home remedies to health care. As he pulled his "Home Remedies" book  from the shelf, a smaller book fell to the floor.  Ignoring this little book for the moment, he went straight to his Home Remedies book looking for some answers.  He was a little shocked that he happened to open the book right to the pages of his symptoms.  He then proceeded to pick up the little book on the floor.  He had never seen this little book and had no idea where it came from.  It was a spiraled little book and appeared to be from a church.  He happened to notice the date on the front cover - it was his father's Bday!  He opened the book and read the passages...... words of comfort, words of love.  His eyes filled with tears.  A confirmation that his father is always near!

A little extra sidenote:  Patrick called his mom later that day to tell her about this.... before he could she asked him to hold on a moment.  She came back to the phone to tell him that she was just praying to his father to help Patrick with what he is feeling.  Patrick was shocked...... and went on to tell his mom about the cardinal and the little book that fell from the shelf!  Tears of love and joy were shared over the phone!

In Loving Memory

Gems of Wisdom

I finally published my Gems of Wisdom!

It can be purchased on Amazon for only $4.97

This book was born because of my Mary...... 

During my own journey of recovery starting in 2001, I started digging deep into my soul to find myself - save myself.  I started writing from my heart and listening with all my being.  I was lost with hopelessness.  Broken.  When I heard something that made sense to me I wrote it down, when I had a thought, I wrote it down.  I wrote to heal.  By 2006 I was on a healthy road to recovery and my Mary's troubles began.  My heart broke..... I wanted to bottle up what I had and give it to her.  Anything I could to save her from the pain I went through.  I thought about my little Gems I had gathered and decided I would put it in a journal for her - clean and simple.  I found a nice pink leather journal and made my 1st edition of Gems of Wisdom. I found out that I couldn't send it to her this way so I started typing it in word, printed it, cut the sheets in half and took it to the local Office Supply store in the area and had it bound.  Mary loved it!  This is how my book was born.  I got the copyright in 2007.  I made several books and gave them away.  It was time consuming and a little costly, but worth it to me.  You can't put a price tag on the possibility of saving someone.  You have to give it away to keep it! It wasn't until this year, 2012, that I was able to have it published, thanks to the talents and work of my husband Chad!

It is my dream and I know it was Mary's, to share this simple little book to as many people as possible. Hospitals, jails, rehabs, meetings...... If by chance the sales excel,  I will be so happy to put the money earned towards her kids college!  Wow, that would be a dream........

It is because of my sweet sister Mary who is attached to my soul and the love of my life, my soul mate, Chad that my Gems of Wisdom is alive and ready to be shared and hopefully touch some souls!

Love In The Sky....

Memories to Cherish

Mary & Me 12-31-94

This picture was sent to me from Mary's lil legacy, Kelsey!  Would you believe I've never even seen this picture?  Mary had it in her own personal photo album from her wedding day.  Now that Mary is gone, her lil legacy Kelsey keeps her pictures as a treasure.  She came across this one as she was moving last weekend.  She took a picture of it and sent it to me.  I told her I loved this picture so much and she said "I thought you would, I do too!" What a beautiful bride Mary was and what a beautiful day......

My sweet little niece is a gift  that I love more than anything.  I am so lucky and so fortuante to have had the sister that I did, the memories to cherish and now her little Kelsey.  Well, not so little anymore,  she's growing up to be a beatiful young lady with a heart of gold - JUST LIKE HER MOMMY!

Thank you Kelsey for sharing this memory that I will cherish forever!

“Everyone you have ever loved in your life becomes a part of your soul. They never leave. They're always inside you, and you can bring them out whenever you want.”

― Nate Kenyon, Sparrow Rock

ANGELS

A Sweet Lesson on Patience

A NYC Taxi driver wrote: I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but ins...tead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. 'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.' 'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?' 'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.. 'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice. I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. 'What route would you like me to take?' I asked. For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired.Let's go now'. We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. 'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse. 'Nothing,' I said 'You have to make a living,' she answered. 'There are other passengers,' I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly. 'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.' I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.It was the sound of the closing of a life.. I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk.What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one. ~ Story shared by Kahayne Henry