Twelve years ago I miscarried for the first time.
I was completely heartbroken and I quickly spiraled into a dark night of the soul. When I looked in the mirror I couldn’t even recognize the person looking back. I’d had loss before, but this time felt different. I’m naturally hopeful, but my grief and depression made everything go dark. I felt alone and scared. Scared of what the future held, and scared that I’d never be me again.
My friend Kari sent me a card and a shirt that read “HOPE”. It was so simple, but that message, that Tee, meant everything to me. It was a tangible reminder that I wasn’t alone and even though I didn’t have any hope, my friend did, and I could borrow hers. I wore that tee constantly, and every single time felt like a hug.
Years later I’d found my hope and I sent that tee to a friend who was struggling. When that friend found her hope she sent it to another friend. At one point it came back to me, and another time it was sent to Kari in her own dark night of the soul.
That shirt has made the rounds again and again, each time bringing the message of hope with it. It’s the sisterhood of the traveling shirt. I can’t really think about it without feeling emotional. It reminds of hard times that are now in the review mirror. It reminds me of my rainbow baby. It reminds me that the sun always rises again even when things are really really tough.
It reminds that friendship is one of the most precious gifts. It reminds me to SHARE hope, because when one of us doesn’t have it, there’s always someone who does.
Today if you don’t have your own hope, then friend, please borrow mine.
Love,Jess
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Photo by Photo Cred: Roya Ann Miller
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