I really have never been a creative person and in my grief journey that has not really changed. There aren't many "creative" outlets that I've taken lately, but I will share a few with you here. A book that I read early on in my grief journey that really helped me was "And Still She Laughs" by Kate Merrick. in the book there is a reference to the Bible verse Proverbs 31:25 - "She is clothed in strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future." That verse really resonated with me, because it's how I strive to live my life in wake of this tragedy. A few weeks ago, my sister and some friends went to a sign making workship and it was one of the first "social" activities that I went to. I made a sign with that Proverbs verse and hung it in my bedroom so I can see it every morning at the start and end of my day.
I also have made a video of Rosie every year on her birthday - highlighting some of the best moments from that year. A highlight reel of sorts - so we could quickly and easily relive the memories without scrolling through 100's of pictures. I felt inclined to make one for Rosie's 3rd year (even though it was only 3 months long) - to share those final memories that we've been holding on to so tightly. It was extremely difficult to make - knowing that the memories stop here and it's the last video that I will make for her, but I had to do it for her and I'm so happy that I did. I watch it all the time and it brings feelings of both joy and sadness - but it always highlights the LOVE.
I'm yearning for any outlet to remember and memorialize her by - creative or not. But now that I'm writing this - I guess I've been more creative than I ever even realized...
- We had heart shaped key chains and ornaments made out of Rosie's favorite turtle PJ's. We obviously kept some for ourselves, but also gave them to close family too.
- I just finished choosing about 50 pieces of "Rosie classics" - clothing items that are too sentimental for me to put another child in and that remind me of happy moments with Rosie. These pieces will go into making a quilt that I can wrap myself in whenever I need to.
- I had a bracelet made with Rosies fingerprint engraved on it
- I sent out her artwork to a company that will professionally photograph and make it into a book for me