Writing in a journal allowed me the freedom to actually say what I was thinking and feeling without a filter! And that was powerful for me. We live in a grief-adverse culture. Most people don’t know what to say after a death. Sometimes, people say hurtful things that diminish your grief. I was one of those people once and I know those hurtful things are unintentional. But they still hurt. Writing in a journal allowed me to work my way …
I remember after Mike died, I always had a water bottle with me. I drank more water than I ever had in my life. Looking back on it, I think it was a coping mechanism that I wasn’t even consciously aware of. Since then I’ve learned that when you’re grieving it not only exhausts you mentally and physically, but it can lead to chronic stress, trouble sleeping, anxiety, loss of appetite, and even general aches and pains. I felt …
I’ve talked before about some of the classes I took about grief. The Children’s Room was my go-to resource where I took these classes. Ironically, in 2013 and 2014, I ran the marathon for this charity in memory of my good friends’ babies who passed away. So, I was very familiar with the invaluable service this organization provides. Their mission is to create safe, supportive communities so that no child, teen, or family has to grieve alone. Their various support-group services are tailored to …
The majority of our donors and bag recipients are parents of relatively young children so I’d like to share a quote I was given in a grief class called “Parenting While Grieving.” The greatest gift you can give your children is not protection from change, pain or stress, but the confidence and tools to cope and grow with all that life has to offer them. – Dr. Wendy Schlessel Harpham I think this quote ties in with what I …
It’s hard to believe I launched The MRP Project a little over two months ago. I feel so blessed that it started out strong and continues to be successful! Feedback I’ve learned something important over the last two months; something my gut was telling me from the beginning. While I believe our bags for a boost provide emotional boosts to all recipients facing hardships, I’ve learned through recipients’ feedback that when there is a death involved, it’s best to wait a …
Delivery Update Thanks to your generous donations, three more bags for a boost were delivered last week. Our recipients were all men. One is a father who lost his infant son and the other two are fathers who lost their wives. One of our recipients said that his package was very uplifting and that it’s always nice to be reminded of the support from friends and the community. These bags were also the first ones that included hand-written cards of …
Thanks to your generosity three more bags went out to a husband and wife who lost their son and to a single mom caring for an elderly parent and a very sick child. One of our recipients said that the bag really brightened her day! It’s this type of continuous, positive feedback that makes me extremely grateful for all of your donations. The MRP Project couldn’t provide these emotional boosts without you! I wanted to share a quote that I …
Donor News We’ve had a surge of items from new donors and we’ve gotten some great things. Books, hand squeeze weights, cozy socks for men and women, insulated mugs, chocolates, kindness rocks, games, and so much more. (Check out the picture above) Thank you!! Recent Recipients Our recent bag recipients have included two sets of parents whose college-aged sons recently passed away and a father whose children are both battling serious illnesses. We hope our bags will give them a …
Four more bags for a boost have been delivered and the feedback continues to amaze me. One recipient told me that she was having an unusually bad day and the unexpected surprise really made a difference. Such a difference that she’s now collecting for The MRP Project to put a smile on someone else’s face! For anyone who has navigated the grief journey, you know that the sadness is always there, but there are good days and bad days. The …
Our first three bags for a boost have been delivered! And the best part, we’ve received some great feedback. One recipient said it was “an unexpected and wonderful surprise” and was extremely grateful. None of this could happen without you and your donations. Thank you very much! We’re currently collecting for a husband and wife who lost their high-school-aged son last year. We’ll be collecting for these recipients until February 14. Thanks again for your support of The MRP Project. Progress in …