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The gospel story at church this past weekend reminded me of all of the 'if onlys' and 'what ifs' that surrounded the death of my granddaughter. 'What if we'd just kept the girls for a sleepover that night' ... 'if only they had eaten dinner at home' ... 'what if the car seat latch wasn't defective' ... 'if only son-in-law had gotten her out of the car right away ... 'what if she had lived?
'If only God had been there.'
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 I told myself that I wasn't going to write this. My personal platform was not going to become an advertisement and I certainly don't want to be involved in - or accused of - conflict of interest. But, I've changed my mind. After all, if there is something that can help others, why not share?
I've briefly mentioned Mandy's book in past articles. Now, proud mother that I am, I'm going to tell you all about it. Possibly, it's a book that would be helpful for your family. "Stella's Story: Dealing With Sibling Loss" is intended for young children who have experienced the death of a brother or sister. It tells of the sisters' relationship before Stella dies, touches on the accident, describes how life changes after Stella is gone and encourages discussion within the family. At the end are tips for helping parents talk to their young children about their loss. A six-year old girl died yesterday. She wasn't just a child I heard about on the news. Her name is Jordyn and she was a student at the school where Mandy works. Jordyn was not one of my daughter's students, yet Mandy knew who she was and can tell stories about the older sister and the brother who aspires to attend Harvard. Yes, a school is a village, where families come together to learn, to grow close, and now, to grieve.
Mandy called before 2:30 yesterday afternoon. Often she calls on her 45-minute drive home (no worries, she has hands-free calling in her vehicle). It's the best time to talk without interruptions. Knowing that her normal Friday ends at that time, I wondered why the call came early. But, before I could ask she said, "She died." It had been a difficult day to work through and she couldn't focus any longer. It was time to go home. |
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