Dear Kellie -
Throughout our lives we celebrate so many "firsts". First words, first jobs, first dates, and so many more memorable milestones. The things we hold sacred may not be particularly important to others but are etched in our memory forever.
Speaking of memories, anniversaries are fairly important ones. Each year, couples spend time making sure to remember their special day, planning surprises for their spouses, whether it be a nice dinner, a spa day, or a respite to a favorite vacation spot. On the other hand, maybe they forget and spend the rest of the week trying to make it up to their significant other. Either way, the day is memorable isn't it? Many people spend their lives accruing "firsts" and countless other special moments with their partners, but what happens when that partner dies? Death is inevitable for all of us. Our time is coming whether we want it to or not...whether we are ready for it or not. Life changes in an instant.
I spent 15 years amazing, wonderful, lucky years with my husband, 10 of those were married years. We brought 4 incredible children into our family. We bought our first house in June 2021. We moved to a new city in a new state and started to cultivate a new life here. In November 2021, he was killed in a car accident on his way home. I'll spare all the details, but he fell asleep while driving and died instantly. No reaction time, no time to prepare. It was just an accident, but one that irrevocably changed my life in an instant. He was 42 years old, and we had so many memories left to make. We weren't finished with our "firsts". We just weren't finished. With anything.
But as I said, death comes for us all, and we have to adapt to loss whether we want to or not. Part of adaptation to life after loss is the arrival of new firsts. First Christmases, first New Year's holidays, first Valentine’s Days...but probably the most significant is the arrival of the first wedding anniversary. St. Patrick's Day 2022 will be my first anniversary without him. It's going to be incredibly hard. I really don't know yet how hard it is going to be, because it isn't here yet, but I just know it is going to be my most difficult day yet.
One more detail before I get to the point. Part of who WE were as humans first, but also as a couple, was spreading love and kindness and grace to others. You never know what kind of story someone else is metaphorically writing in their own life, so just be kind. That was us. We loved to be the good Samaritans in the story, but not in a way that made us look pretentious. We preferred to be anonymous as much as possible. We were just happy to be spreading joy to others. For me, the anniversary gift isn't coming.
Keep reading, though...please. I need to keep spreading that joy. It won't heal me, but I do believe it will help heal the world. I want to be a light to others. I have been doing random acts of kindness as much as possible since he passed, and I will continue to do so for the rest of my life. But this anniversary, while it will be painful to ME, has to bring joy to someone else. I had an idea, and I think you can help me make this happen. You are a storyteller. You capture the beginning of a new chapter for two humans...potentially the most important chapter of their lives. What better way to honor my own marriage, than to give someone else a beautiful beginning to theirs? I would really like to find an engaged couple to bless with wedding photography. I don't need a gift for my anniversary. But maybe this can be my gift to the universe, in honor of my husband, and in honor of the 15 years I was incredibly fortunate enough to receive.
Lucky in Love, March 14, 2022
Do you know a couple that might be blessed with wedding photography? Tell this amazing gifter why - your messages will go to her to read and she is going to give a very deserving couple a beautiful life long gift that honors the love she’s cherished.
GIVEAWAY TO CLOSE AND BE ANNOUNCED 3/21/22