The human capacity for burden is like bamboo- far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance. Jodi Picoult, author
I recently communicated with a mother of two small children who knows she’s going to die in the next several months. She asked how, at eight years old, I handled my mother’s death and what advice I had for her to prepare her children for the years after her death. She’s done much already including putting aside birthday gifts for each child for the next ten years.
I told her that she sounds like a caring mother who has already laid a solid foundation for her children. I encouraged her to trust the significance of her early mothering and to have faith in her children’s resiliency.
Isn’t this true for us all? When tragedy strikes, we must embrace and rely upon our past foundational experiences then trust our own strength and resilience as we proceed into the future.
Affirmation: I am strong and resilient.
Coaching questions: What would you tell this mother? What can you tell your future self about handling death and disappointment?
Mershon Niesner, Author
Mom’s Gone, Now What?
Source: http://www.mershonniesner.com/ used with permission