“A Memory……” Blog #44
PLEASE LISTEN TO THE SONG ABOVE FIRST - CLICK PLAY BUTTON IN VIDEO BELOW
(Memorial in lieu of the funeral I was never allowed to have for my daughter.)
Today I take time to remember my daughter Bridgets birthday. This Sunday December
4th, she will have been gone one year -5 months and 14 days. Most of you never knew
her. Many of you wonder what can be gleamed from this? Others may feel it too
depressing to read. However, I vowed to myself in her honor, all Blogs will be positive,
insightful and above all, uplifting in sharing my coping skills.
Todays Blog is My gift to Bridget’s Spirit. For above all, I believe her soul lives on.
Quiet has replaced her energy.
Faith has replaced my fear.
Acceptance replacing my anger.
I look back now, only at her goodness. “Blessed and beautiful” her Priest had told us as
she was Baptized in her Catholic Faith and went on to take her First Communion. Bridget
did well in school, graduated and went on to Indiana University where she made her two
best friends. Laughter and healthy living saw them through four years of college. There
were plans together and beyond as college came to a close, Bridget did a Semester
abroad in Seville Spain, where she went on to Paris, France meeting her Mom and family
with best friend and Julie’s parents. We all traveled Europe together. The girls had great
plans for their lives ahead.. Her brother and friend wanted her to move to NYC and go to
Graduate School.
Bridget was torn, thus she moved to Chicago instead.
Graduating with a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education, Bridget finished all her
years at DePaul University. She stayed on in Chicago with favorite cat and dog for a few
more years. Bridget was choosing day in and day out on her own.
We do not know “the why” in choices she made. When Bridget came back to her home
state, she worked as a teacher at Blake Private School. She was a great teacher and
taught third grade. She had her own apt overlooking a lake.
Then she met someone and decided to marry.
We designed a beautiful diamond ring from her Grandma for her engagement. We
gave her a keepsake wedding in a tiny, rustic church over looking a big lake. On a sunny
day in August, with relatives and 150 friends to help celebrate, Bridget had high hopes
and dreams she’d married someone who loved her. After a few years we saw that this
beautiful Mother had bore two healthy, adoring sons, just a couple years apart. In the
eight years Bridget was married she went on to accomplish alot. In this short time
frame she created a prosperous Moving Business from scratch. Because of her
marketing skills and savy business sense this allowed them to build a beautiful home for
their children, family, dog and cat.
Bridget was strong and bright with a very funny nature. I find joy in remembering her
beautiful essence. Internally, I focus on her contagious laughter, uplifting words and her
kind heart. For Bridget was determined to instill in her sons faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.
She made a commitment to Baptize both her boys after they were born. “Regardless of
what happens, Mom “ she had once said - they are protected now”
Whatever else she did, nightly she said prayers with her boys, talking about the man
Jesus. There was such beauty in watching her gardening. Many years giving me
pottings and plantings for Mothers Day. Her love of nature only added to her goodness
Practically speaking, Bridget was a phenomenal cook .Singing and humming all the
while preparing a favorite spaghetti dish in our Southern kitchen where we moved.
Once Bridget sent me an App of her favorite Guru, telling me “meditation brings me
peace Mom”. This beautiful woman was the personification of style . Her ingenious
creativity showed “why” she loved scrapbooking and poetry, putting together all her
memories in homemade picture books. Her favorite poem I share at the end.
Until the last few years, Bridget was able to maintain a beautiful presence and a model
manner of dress. Daily she put herself together in a flash and seemed to appear right
out of Vogue Magazine. Determined to make things work, she created her own sense of
style. Lively, lovely and so kind. she was always ready to help the underdog.
Determined and ready to “Fix things”. Trying harder with no thought of self.
Rationalizing ways to make things better. Let it be known her boys and her animals
adored everything about her.
When Bridget married for love, believed in love, she hoped for love in her marriage.
I say nothing more about that for I choose to share only good memories.
There were always two roads for Bridget to take before her life stopped…..
“It made all the difference”.
My precious Bridget Laura Elizabeth is in the Lords domain now. Here Jesus Christ holds
and heals and fills her soul forevermore with light. Arch Angel Michael, Arch Angel
Gabriel and Arch Angel Rafael clearly watch over her Spirit by day and night. I speak
with complete confidence in the knowing as I pray daily for Bridgets soul.
In light of the Eulogy I was never permitted to have, I leave it at that and dedicate this
poem and songs to her memory. This was her favorite poem.
“The Road Not Taken”
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood, and looked down one as far as I could,
To where it bent in the undergrowth. Then took the other one just as fair,
and having perhaps the better claim, because it was grassy and wanted wear,
though as for that the passing there had worn them both really the same.
And both that morning equally lay, in leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh… I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how one way leads on to way,
I doubted now IF I would ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence,
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference…..”
NOW LISTEN TO SONGS BELOW - CLICK PLAY BUTTON IN VIDEO BELOW
“Bridget … you will be forever missed”.
I Love you, Mom.
