Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Spring




I was attending a meeting of the faculty when I was inspired to write this poem. I penned it in two minutes and did not care whether it rhymed or not. It speaks of how I feel. People ask me as to why I am sad. I answer “Don’t you know it is spring?”

Spring is coming soon after the long winter gloom.
Trees are budding and flowers are blooming.
My heart is aching as everything reminds me of life,
Yet my son is not here to enjoy the beauty of it.
How can I go on and have a merry heart?
When death surrounds me instead of life and that smarts.
Tears continue to water the flowers as I till his garden.
My heart skips a beat each time I realize
My son was cut off in the spring of his life.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Bereaved Parents Response to Topics in Grief

"A huge thank you to Leila Koepp for expressing how I think a lot of us really feel. I feel like copying 'How are you feeling today?' and handing it out to everyone I know. I think the gut wrenching truth of it was beautiful because of its pure honesty." Melody

"I have learned from Leila that we should not hide our grief but to open up and speak. This is the best remedy for healing." Twila

The story that touched my heart and made me cry and understand how my daughter feels, was titled, 'How do you do it?'" June

"In reading her articles, my heart is always comforted by the words of Leila Koepp. She seems to understand exactly what I am feeling, and her words echo my thoughts." Charisse

"All her stories come from the heart, as truthful as she possibly can be. Even the anger as so many are afraid to share...God knows our hearts and He is a loving, forgiving God." Mary Ann

"I have been blessed with huge nuggets of peace from Leila's writings because she genuinely opens her heart, allowing the rest of us to share her pain as she guides us in our travel down the road of sorrow. She explains things in heartfelt ways that the layman can understand. Although none of us wishes to be on this road, I am grateful to be sharing it with her; because of her writings it is also a road of hope." Debbie

"Leila's articles provide me with hope. Hope that I will be reunited with Brian. They provide me a renewed faith in the belief that God is in our lives and was there when Brian died. They provide me with a perspective on my grief from one who has experienced the same deep level of grief. They provide me with comfort." Joe