This is a powerful post, Rachel. I started following you during Eleni's life. It seemed unimaginably awful to have something so hopeful and full of potential - a child's birth - turn into something so unexpectedly and irreversibly tragic. I am so sorry for the suffering Eleni, you and your family endured, and the suffering you continued to face after she died. I'll be thinking of you today. Anniversaries can feel so heavy. Thank you for sharing your life with us. I'm going through a deep, deep loss right now and your words today helped.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for this comment. It perfectly expresses my feelings as I also have followed Rachel as she wrote so beautifully about Eleni and her loss. Sending healing thoughts to Rachel and also to you.
Dear Rachel on this auspicious day I send you more love, more courage, more insight, more confidence, more trust in the universe, and more of everything else you may need to survive and live your life with understanding and happiness. When your heart is ready for love it will come and hit you on the back of your head (when you're not looking). Keep healing and being the beautiful sensitive soul you are. "And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the world is unfolding as it should". Much love to a new but already special friend.
"To those who understand no explanation is necessary; to those who don't no explanation is sufficient." "The death of a child conveys with it a grief in a category all its own — deep, wide, long and abiding." Ten years ago this year I lost an adult son in a tragic accident. It changes you forever.
You write so movingly and with such vulnerability. Thank you for sharing your story. You have my deepest sympathy. - Jeannine
Ten years have gone so quickly. I am now 83 and treasure each day. Quilting and sewing have been a big part of my life for the last 25 years. Without a doubt I know where your blessed child is today. She is in the loving arms of Jesus in Heaven.
Grief is the unwanted journey that propels us to depths of emotions we are unaware they exist and tear open gapping heart wounds which some create scars and others create a significant mark were love resides; always. It forever changes us - how we see, touch, feel, love and live. I am horrible at understanding abstract, mainly because fanciful imagination was not encouraged in my childhood. But as I looked at your ice parfait quilt in this post before I read all the other posts, I saw the red as the faithful and eternal love that it is often to represent and my mind interpreted the lower blurred images of a mother on one side of the red and a small daughter on the other side. The tree represent life and it's seasons. Your is always vibrant and I have only been following for a short time but never let go of what you pour into your work, it is beautiful and meaningful. I lost two babies early on (both ectopic)and never got that moment that each mother aches to hold love so tiny and innocent. As I am sure many here mourn with you in silent reverence, some with personal knowledge of grief and those who have not yet. Thank you for your transparency and your heart.
Powerful story and quilt. You’ve endured so much grief and loss with dignity and grace. You have my heart, respect and admiration. Love yourself today as fiercely as you loved Elena.
I’m not sure when you wrote this but I copied these words of yours and have read them many times.
“When we’re smack in the middle of a dark night, hope and newness can feel impossible.
It is one of the wisdoms of age to have experienced both real darkness and the surprising dawn of new possibility. A child’s faith is innocence. a seasoned adult’s is courage”
I found you shortly before Eleni passed. You are so brave and have helped me face loss. Thank you for sharing the dark and the light. Much love to you.
Raquel thank you so much for sharing and having us join you celebrating Elenis life and contributions to your life story. I lost my first child at three months and her sweet face, big black eyes and curly hair still shine in my memory. She would have been 46 years old.
Oh Rachel, I was with you, reading, that whole time you were with your Eleni. My heart broke with every entry you posted. How exhausting it must have been to try to make her life at least marginally comfortable, and I'm sure her pain was your pain too because that's how we are with our children. I lost my son 6 years ago to leukemia, and, daily, his pain was my pain. None of us could have fathomed being a part of this horrible club, of parents who have had their child die. And yet here we are.
This post today is sad and beautiful. Thank you so so much for sharing so much of your life with us, with me, via your posts. Sara
Thank you for sharing your story. While I grieve with you I also am grateful to see you are growing and showing us how we can use our brokenness to find strength and beauty in carrying on. Eleni lives in the blessings she continues to bestow.
I remember Eleni and your dedication to helping her live and thrive against all the odds. She was surrounded by so much love every minute she was alive and I cried with you when she passed. My heart and prayers are with you especially on this anniversary day. So much has changed since then but you have endured. May your path ahead be filled with joy. 💕
So sorry about the heartache of losing your precious child Eleni, and even more so that this was caused by negligence of medical institutions. 💔 Thank you for sharing your heart with the world. 😔🙏🏻
This is a powerful post, Rachel. I started following you during Eleni's life. It seemed unimaginably awful to have something so hopeful and full of potential - a child's birth - turn into something so unexpectedly and irreversibly tragic. I am so sorry for the suffering Eleni, you and your family endured, and the suffering you continued to face after she died. I'll be thinking of you today. Anniversaries can feel so heavy. Thank you for sharing your life with us. I'm going through a deep, deep loss right now and your words today helped.
Yes, I feel that you understand. Thank you for reading and responding, Elizabeth. We humans are united our loss as well as in our joy.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for this comment. It perfectly expresses my feelings as I also have followed Rachel as she wrote so beautifully about Eleni and her loss. Sending healing thoughts to Rachel and also to you.
Dear Rachel on this auspicious day I send you more love, more courage, more insight, more confidence, more trust in the universe, and more of everything else you may need to survive and live your life with understanding and happiness. When your heart is ready for love it will come and hit you on the back of your head (when you're not looking). Keep healing and being the beautiful sensitive soul you are. "And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the world is unfolding as it should". Much love to a new but already special friend.
"To those who understand no explanation is necessary; to those who don't no explanation is sufficient." "The death of a child conveys with it a grief in a category all its own — deep, wide, long and abiding." Ten years ago this year I lost an adult son in a tragic accident. It changes you forever.
You write so movingly and with such vulnerability. Thank you for sharing your story. You have my deepest sympathy. - Jeannine
Ten years have gone so quickly. I am now 83 and treasure each day. Quilting and sewing have been a big part of my life for the last 25 years. Without a doubt I know where your blessed child is today. She is in the loving arms of Jesus in Heaven.
Thank you, Francis. And thank you for spending pieces of the last decade with me.
Grief is the unwanted journey that propels us to depths of emotions we are unaware they exist and tear open gapping heart wounds which some create scars and others create a significant mark were love resides; always. It forever changes us - how we see, touch, feel, love and live. I am horrible at understanding abstract, mainly because fanciful imagination was not encouraged in my childhood. But as I looked at your ice parfait quilt in this post before I read all the other posts, I saw the red as the faithful and eternal love that it is often to represent and my mind interpreted the lower blurred images of a mother on one side of the red and a small daughter on the other side. The tree represent life and it's seasons. Your is always vibrant and I have only been following for a short time but never let go of what you pour into your work, it is beautiful and meaningful. I lost two babies early on (both ectopic)and never got that moment that each mother aches to hold love so tiny and innocent. As I am sure many here mourn with you in silent reverence, some with personal knowledge of grief and those who have not yet. Thank you for your transparency and your heart.
Powerful story and quilt. You’ve endured so much grief and loss with dignity and grace. You have my heart, respect and admiration. Love yourself today as fiercely as you loved Elena.
I’m not sure when you wrote this but I copied these words of yours and have read them many times.
“When we’re smack in the middle of a dark night, hope and newness can feel impossible.
It is one of the wisdoms of age to have experienced both real darkness and the surprising dawn of new possibility. A child’s faith is innocence. a seasoned adult’s is courage”
I found you shortly before Eleni passed. You are so brave and have helped me face loss. Thank you for sharing the dark and the light. Much love to you.
Thank you, Amy.
Raquel thank you so much for sharing and having us join you celebrating Elenis life and contributions to your life story. I lost my first child at three months and her sweet face, big black eyes and curly hair still shine in my memory. She would have been 46 years old.
I'm sorry for your loss as well, Ana.
Oh Rachel, I was with you, reading, that whole time you were with your Eleni. My heart broke with every entry you posted. How exhausting it must have been to try to make her life at least marginally comfortable, and I'm sure her pain was your pain too because that's how we are with our children. I lost my son 6 years ago to leukemia, and, daily, his pain was my pain. None of us could have fathomed being a part of this horrible club, of parents who have had their child die. And yet here we are.
This post today is sad and beautiful. Thank you so so much for sharing so much of your life with us, with me, via your posts. Sara
How heartbreaking, Sara. I know that his pain was your pain. I hope we never know a deeper pain.
Thank you for sharing your story. While I grieve with you I also am grateful to see you are growing and showing us how we can use our brokenness to find strength and beauty in carrying on. Eleni lives in the blessings she continues to bestow.
It was shortly after Eleni’s birth that I first came in contact with your blog. Ten years … it’s almost hard to believe!🩷
Ik denk aan je en aan Eleni vandaag, Rachel 💜
I remember Eleni and your dedication to helping her live and thrive against all the odds. She was surrounded by so much love every minute she was alive and I cried with you when she passed. My heart and prayers are with you especially on this anniversary day. So much has changed since then but you have endured. May your path ahead be filled with joy. 💕
Thank you, Debi.
So sorry about the heartache of losing your precious child Eleni, and even more so that this was caused by negligence of medical institutions. 💔 Thank you for sharing your heart with the world. 😔🙏🏻
Powerful. Blessings for you and yours.