 September 30th marks the two year anniversary of losing my beautiful mom. Grief is such a complicated emotion. Certain days I am handling it well, and then something comes that will trigger a memory, and my grief feels fresh and raw all over again. This is totally normal. You never "get over" losing someone you love. You just somehow through God's grace learn to manage your loss. Losing a loved one leaves a huge hole in your daily life, as the void you now must live with can at times completely overwhelm you. I have learned some strategies and have been involved in some healing activities that have helped me honour my mom as a walk through my grief. Perhaps you are grieving someone as well at the moment. Here are some suggestions on how to keep his or her memory alive and let that very special person's legacy live on. 1. Talk about them often Mom on a beloved "Mrs. Lear Friday." Please talk about your loved one as often as you need to. If you have people in your circle who find your conversation about your lost loved one awkward or uncomfortable, find people who don't. Gravitate towards others who are great listeners and/ or who are also on their own grief journeys. They are "your people" right now. These fine folks will help you on this difficult road. Writing my blog has also been such a source of healing for me as I include memories of mom and life lessons she taught me very often. 2. Organize events to remember them Here is my brother Matt, at our special sibling breakfast time to honour Mom. On the first anniversary of my mom's passing, we started a tradition of going to a favourite restaurant as a family with my siblings, their families and my dad. We had a bonfire after and shared many sweet memories of mom. We continue this tradition today. Mom loved to eat out with friends. She was very sociable. She cherished these special times with others. We honour her by participating in what she loved.  You are my Sunshine cards. They turned out so cute! To keep my mom's memory alive in my classroom, I planned a "You are My Sunshine" party with my students. Mom had a huge collection of "You are my Sunshine" items that she had accumulated over the years. She was literally sunshine in human form, and she would always sing this song to us as kids. I explained to my students that my Mom was always doing kind things for others, so in her name, I was doing something kind for them. I encouraged them to keep the kindness going, and one of the activities at the party was to make a card for others letting them know how much they were loved and valued. It was a big success and a great time was had by all. 3. Recognize people who were important to them Sunshine Treats for a special staff. My mom was a faithful volunteer at my workplace, Queen Elizabeth Public School. She LOVED the staff and the staff LOVED her. On her Mrs. Lear "Fridays" she would go door to door in the school hallways sharing her humour, kindness and friendly conversation with all she met. She was just like that and everyone was drawn to her. On a professional development day, I had special baked goods brought in that were lovingly prepared by a dear colleague of mine for the staff to enjoy. It was my way of remembering Mom and thanking my great coworkers for the love and kindness they had shown to Mom all throughout the years as well. It brought me great comfort to bring them a little "sunshine" on that September day. 4. Donate to their favourite charity in their nameMom's favourite charity was an organization called Sleeping Children Around the World. This charity gives bedkits to children in impoverished countries so they can have a comfortable and safe place to sleep. As an extended family, we purchased several bedkits in Mom's name. What makes this charity very special is they take a picture of the recipient of the bed kit with a plaque with Mom's name on it and send it to us. The charity also wrote me a handwritten note extending their condolences on Mom's passing, sharing what a faithful supporter she was of SCAW in the past. That was very special. 5. Live your best life Your special person you are missing would not want you to live the rest of your life in sorrow. I am not suggesting in any way that you do not take time to properly grieve. You must and need to do that, but don't stay there. Your loved one would not want you to live in black clothes acting like YOUR life is over all the time. He or she would want the opposite for you. Don't stop living because your loved one did. Live on with passion and make him or her a part of all you do. They are always with you in spirit and in your heart and that is something no one can ever take from you. I have always had a special heart for people who are grieving. I wrote a book entitled Magic Kisses on that very subject. If you are interested in purchasing it, feel free to click on the picture below to order it.  These simple ways to honour Mom have brought me such comfort. I hope that if you are grieving right now, you can find meaningful ways to honour your special person as well. Feel free to use one of my ideas if it feels right for you. Until next time, Dana P.S. Miss you Mom! I will live my whole life to love God and people the way you did! Psalms 34:18 ~ The Lord is close to the broken hearted. He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Little Lessons Learned: Those we love are never really gone, because they live forever in our hearts.
Tags: grief and loss, honouring lost lost ones, comfort, legacies, loss of mother, processing griefCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi)
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 Photo by Little Lessons Learned by Dana "Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything." ~ C.S. Lewis I have been really missing Mom BIG TIME as the days quickly approach to the second anniversary of her passing. To think it has already been almost two years that this beautiful soul left us here on earth is hard to comprehend sometimes. Although she is not physically with me, she is truly with me every day. I feel her in so many ways throughout my days. It is so encouraging and comforting. I am my mother's daughter in so many ways and I am extremely proud of that. Her pictures are prominently displayed in my home and classroom and I love to share the timeless life lessons she taught me whenever I can. Mom had so much wisdom and she took every chance she could to impart the powerful lessons she had learned along the way to anyone who would listen. I am so happy to share some of my favourites with you. "Don't lose the victory." Photo by Andrea Piacquadio at Pexels Mom would always say when tough times come, don't let those circumstances rob your joy, or pull you under. With Jesus at our side we are always on the winning team. Mom was no stranger to adversity. She struggled with clinical depression several times in her life. At times, she definitely was pulled under by this dark disease, and keeping the victory seemed impossible for her. We never stopped praying for her and MANY times she had beautiful times of recovery and redemption. For her last bout of depression, we were not so fortunate. She did not receive her victory of a healing on earth, but we know Mom is living her best, victorious life in Heaven and we do find great comfort in that. "Keep a rainbow in your heart." Photo by Ben Mack at Pexels As we would navigate our hardest days, Mom would encourage us to keep joy tucked in our hearts, despite the personal storms we might be experiencing. This would keep us moving ahead and pointed in the right direction every time. What I always loved about this expression, is that it emphasized that despite what was happening around us that we could not control, we could control what was happening in us which was our reaction to circumstances. This is where the power lies. Many times I experienced joy in chaos and the peace that passes understanding that the Bible speaks of when I chose to keep that optimistic rainbow shining brightly in my heart. "There's better days ahead." Mom would remind us that tough times don't last, but tough people do. I want to remind you of that as well. It is important to reflect on the past when the hard times come. You have come through so much already and you will come through this too. This too shall pass, even when at the time it feels that this struggle, challenge or stage will NEVER end. Be assured this is not how your story ends. It is just a bump in the road. Hang in there my friend. "Be a Can-do woman." Mom would encourage us to get I can't out of our vocabulary. I strongly advise you to do the same. Let's start to change our response and dialogue together to the challenges in life. Repeat after me: I can do this! I can overcome this! I will come through this better and stronger! I can and will use this trial to be a blessing to others in time when I am ready.  Photo by Little Lessons Learned by Dana This picture above was the last picture taken of Mom and I together before she passed away. She was still struggling with depression, yet trying to implement and exemplify the life lessons she had imparted to us. I am who I am because of her. I am forever grateful for all that she taught me and will NEVER forget how incredibly special she was. She had so much great advice to share and I trust that these few examples have resonated with you and you can tuck them in your heart today! Until next time, Dana
Tags: grief, losing a mother, life lessons, things mom taught me, legacy, remember loved onesCopyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi)
 "This is a wonderful day. I've never seen this one before." ~ Maya Angelou Good days, bad days and everything in between. We all have them, but I sincerely hope your bad days are in short supply in your corner of the world. For quite some time my family was riddled in deep grief and sorrow after a lengthy period of profound loss of several family members, including my precious mom. Since that time I have personally declared this year THE YEAR OF JOY for that reason. I am bound and determined to find joy anywhere and everywhere, even if some days it is harder to spot. Most of our days generally speaking seem quite ordinary, yet even those run of the mill days are full of many gifts if you open your eyes to see them. Let's highlight a few of my personal favs. The gift of waking up On one of our local radio stations the DJ would always say "If there is air in your lungs today, praise the Lord as He is the one who put it there." This little phrase has always resonated with me. Every day we wake up to face a new day, as mundane or routine as it may seem, is a true privilege that some do not get. My mom unexpectedly died in her sleep. We were totally shocked and heartbroken. No one even considered that that particular Thursday would be her last, and that she would go to bed and never wake up. For this reason I am MORE thankful for EVERY day God gives me to love and honour Him the best I can. For a while I had been caught in the rut of "counting the days" instead of "making the days count." It is my goal now to strive to find meaning in each and every day to the best of my ability. I woke up to face another day. I am blessed. The gift of God's word Photo by John-Mark Smith at Pexels Starting each day with a devotional and reading God's word sets a wonderful tone for my day and gives me something positive to take with me as I head out the door. Since I was a child, my mom would help us memorize scripture and tell us to "tuck God's word in our hearts." I continue this routine and find God's word so meaningful and comforting on all my types of days. If reading scripture is new for you, there are many different translations and types of Christian bibles and you can find what suits you. Some examples are: the King James version, which is more like old English writing, using words like thee, thou and thus. Then there is a version called The Message Bible which puts scripture in everyday words that you and I use today. It is a matter of personal preference. The important thing is to READ the Bible, and a good place to start is Psalms and Proverbs if you are new at this. Having God's word at my fingertips helps me to know I am blessed. The gift of hot coffee Where are my coffee loving friends at? You are my people! That first cup of coffee, especially in the morning, really hits home. It is very special to wake up in the quiet of the morning before all the activity picks up and savor a hot coffee and some peaceful moments. I am drawn to all my favourite mugs. Lots of them have cool stories behind them, like the Charlie Brown one I just got from one of my students. This is my current favourite hands down. Sip, savor and smile. I can wake up and have a warm cup of coffee in my hand in minutes. I am blessed. The gift of so much clothes and food Photo by Liza Summer at Pexels Every day I get to CHOOSE what I will wear. I am sure many of you are like me and have many options of what to wear. Recently I packed up 3 bags of clothes for the thrift store and it did not even make a dent in my closet. My fashion options are many. I am blessed. My fridge and cupboard are also full and I realize this is often not the case for many. So much food for my family, and I do not have to worry about where our next meal is coming from. I am blessed. The gift of my own car Photo by Mike Bird at Pexels For many years we had only one car. I felt stranded all the time and often had to walk or bike places. Then we got a second car and well with two young adults sharing it with me, let's just say I was the one often asking friends for rides. Recently however, my daughter purchased her first car and something AMAZING happened for me... FREEDOM! With my own car now I feel very liberated. I can come and go as I please without making an elaborate car sharing schedule. Having a car to myself is a daily gift I am enjoying immensely. I am blessed. The gift of my career Photo: Little Lessons Learned by Dana My teaching job is a BIG answered prayer. For many years I tried to get a teaching contract but it was difficult as full-time jobs were scarce and in Ontario, Canada you must supply teach, day to day for quite a while before getting a permanent job. When I FINALLY got a contract, my superintendent told me to "shout it from the the mountaintops," and my principal at the time literally danced with me up and down the hallway. IT WAS A BIG DEAL! I have a great job. I am blessed. Well my friends, I hope my little walk down the path of the ordinary day, gave you something to think about. I know it sure did for me. I am working on being more grateful in all areas of my life. Being thankful for ALL my days, even the ones that are less noteworthy, is a great place to start! Until next time, Dana Ephesians 5:20 ~ Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Little Lesson Learned: Always remember the things we often take for granted every day is what some only dream of.
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi) Tags: blessings, gratitude, ordinary days, thankfulness, perspective School starts tomorrow here in Ontario, Canada. After an eventful, enjoyable summer, I am headed back to start my 21st year as an elementary teacher. With retirement coming soon, I am fully determined to make my last years the best years yet! I know I will have a hard time sleeping tonight as I trade the lazy days of summer for the busy, daily demands that an elementary teacher's schedule entails. Even teachers get nervous before the first day of school, and I am no exception, even after 20 years in the classroom. I am sure I will check my alarm again and again, and again. I wanted to take this time to share some things that are on my heart as I head back to Room 21 once again. The classroom is ready to say WELCOME! All last week, I spent time in my classroom, tidying, organizing and getting my classroom in order to prepare for my students' arrival. I did a lot of purging this year as well, as I had some personal resources and stuff that was no longer useful. It is so satisfying to get everything ready and feel well prepared to welcome the kids in. I have lots of inspirational signs and positive affirmations all around the room to foster a warm and inviting classroom atmosphere. Desks are placed in small groups to encourage friendship and group interaction. What is now a very quiet and sacred space will soon become a busy bustle of excitement and energy. The students are there for more than learning. Photo by olia danilevich at Pexels I have always been a firm believer that the students are placed in a specific teacher's class for many reasons. Our team spends great effort and careful consideration placing each student in a class that meets their needs and learning styles. As a Christian teacher I also believe that God has my students there for a greater reason. I have only 10 months to love them, laugh and learn with them and I take that very seriously. I want them to remember this year with fondness as they reflect on their time at my school. It is so amazing to see their personalities come out as they feel comfortable and to see learning, growth and personal development happen. We become a little family and it is always amazing to witness. I pray for my students that they will thrive, love school and feel very loved here. It is my desire that they have found a place where they feel like they truly belong in Room 21. Great colleagues make your day. Photo by fauxels at Pexels They say "it takes a village to raise a child," and that falls into place as well in our schools. We work with these kids as a team, striving to help them in all areas. Many days can be stressful and difficult, but with great coworkers, it somehow makes even the hardest days bearable. I have an incredible group of people who I work with. They listen and help me problem solve. Having them in my corner is absolutely amazing. We need each other in the education field and I am so glad I never feel alone. A bonus as well is the kids provide us with some of our biggest laughs too and that sure helps to break the tension of a difficult day. My heart is ready. Photo by Pixabay at Pexels It is often hard to say goodbye to a group of students in June. As much as I try not to be emotional, more often than not I have a huge lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as they leave for the summer. We have come so far as a little family and at times it seems sad to have to start over again in September. But then September comes and the new group arrives with all their toothless grins and boundless energy and we start all. over. again. Yes, working with kids can be stressful, difficult and frustrating at times, yet beyond the challenging parts there truly is so much joy and satisfaction. I have a plaque on my desk that says "Find the Joy in Every Day" and that is what I strive to do. Some days are harder to find the joy than others, but that's just life sometimes. You take the good with the bad and we get through it together. My new class right now are names on a page, but I know soon they will be sweet little students who have made a lasting imprint on my heart. Until next time, Dana Psalms 37:5 ~ Commit your ways to the Lord. Trust also in Him, and He will do it. Little Lesson Learned: Kids need caring mentoring adults who believe in them. Getting to work with kids and help shape them for the future is a great responsibility.
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana (Dana Romualdi) Tags: teaching, teachers, elemetary teaching, classroom, Christian teachers, back to school |
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