In 2006, a bill was passed designating October 15 as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
It is so sad that such a thing is necessary--doesn't it seem like with all the amazing medical advances this would never happen anymore?! I wish I were still innocent enough to think that babies don't really die in our modern day! But, having become a member of the "club that nobody wants to join", I wanted to post this to help spread awareness of the pain felt by those who have lost babies, whether before or after birth.
{a pair of shoes}
i am wearing a pair of shoes
they are ugly shoes
uncomfortable shoes
i hate my shoes
each day i wear them, and each day i wish i had another pair
some days my shoes hurt so bad that i do not think i can take another step
yet, i continue to wear them
i get funny looks wearing these shoes
they are looks of sympathy
i can tell in others' eyes that they are glad they are my shoes and not theirs
they never talk about my shoes
to learn how awful my shoes are might make them uncomfortable
to truly understand these shoes you must walk in them
but, once you put them on, you can never take them off
i now realize that i am not the only one who wears these shoes
there are many pairs in this world
some woman are like me and ache daily as they try and walk in them
some have learned how to walk in them so they don't hurt quite as much
some have worn the shoes so long that days will go by before they think about how much they hurt
no woman deserves to wear these shoes
yet, because of these shoes i am a stronger woman
these shoes have given me the strength to face anything
they have made me who i am
i will forever walk in the shoes of a woman who has lost a child.
~author unknown
This poem is all too real for me. It helps express how grief over a child doesn't ever go away, although one can learn to "walk so that it doesn't hurt quite as much."
How grateful I am for the beloved ones in my life who do talk about my "shoes" and truly try to understand during this time that I'm learning to walk in them! Ya'll are awesome. :)
5 comments:
Although the reason somber, I am glad that there is a day to remember "shoes". The poem is a nice poem, but I don't totally agree with their being "ugly shoes" (though I think I understand why the author called them that). Though the shoes are tough (mildly speaking) to wear, I think they make the wearer more beautiful for the love she feels and shares.
Love you.
I am using this too! Really, you should just write my blog for me.
What a perfect poem. Becky has a very good point, though! I totally agree that the wearer of these shoes is made even more beautiful, whether they be "ugly" or not!
I had to make a comment. I am a friend of Becky's here in Texas and I absolutely loved this poem as I can relate as well. Thankyou for your posts as they have given me strength, I just don't know where to start. Thankyou
What a great day dedicated to you and your strength. I am glad it is recognized, because it is hard and deserving of some thought. Thank you for the poem. I think your shoes are beautiful, even though you have been through a lot. You handle it with grace, and your countenance is one of beauty.
Post a Comment