James Patrick Griffin

Dear Mr Hallmark

I am writing to you from Heaven, and though it must appear
A rather strange idea, I see everything from here.
I just popped in to visit, your stores to find a card
A card of love for my Mum, as she's finding it very hard.

There must be some mistake I thought, I saw every card you could imagine
Except I could not find a card, from a child who lives in heaven.
She is still a Mum too, no matter where I reside
I had to leave, she understands, but oh the tears she's cried.

I thought that if I wrote you, that you would come to know
That though I live in heaven now, I still love my Mum so.
She talks with me, and dreams with me; we still share laughter too,
Memories are our way of speaking now, would you see what you could do?

My Mum carries me in her heart, her tears she hides from sight.
She writes poems to honor me, sometimes long into the night
She plants flowers in my garden, there my living memory dwells
She writes to other grieving parents, trying to ease their pain as well.

So you see Mr.Hallmark, though I no longer live on earth
I must find a way to remind my Mum of her wondrous worth.
She needs to be honored, and remembered too
Just as the children of earth will do.

Thank you Mr.Hallmark, I know you'll do your best
I have done all I can do; to you I'll leave the rest.
Find a way to tell her, how much she means to me
Until I can do it for myself, when she joins me in eternity

Sheila And My Angels January 6, 2009

WHEN A SMILE COMES FROM HEAVEN

The smiles you see in a picture are priceless.
But, I'm sure this is no surprise.

And the love that is shared

with you & your son ...

Shines bright in both of your eyes.



I hear you say to your precious son ...

Oh how I miss you so!

Words from a Mother's broken heart.

Too much pain for anyone to know!



But too many Mother's have come to feel

the ache of a broken heart.

Oh, no one can imagine the misery

when your life is torn apart!



For a Mother brings a child into this world;

Only another Mother truly understands ...

To cherish that child that lay in her arms.

Later to walk together hand in hand.



But when that same child is taken from her;

Only another Mother knows her pain.

And the path that she walks daily thereafter ...

To another Mother ... She need not explain.



When the nighttime finds you crying again,

understand that it's okay to cry.

The tears you shed have been shed by many!

And one day you'll understand why.



But for today, hold on to every memory.

Oh cherish each moment of love.

The son you miss and long to hold each day ...

Watches over you from Heaven above!



So when you feel you are alone in your grief;

And your smiles are few & far between.

Take the hand of a friend who has been there.

And has seen what you have seen.



Oh Yes, I see the picture of you & your son.

Wearing a smile with such loving bliss.

If he could present you with any gift today ...

He'd send you a smile & seal it with a kiss.

My thoughts are with you Luv Sue xxxxxx

Susan Johnstone (GTS Friend) January 5, 2009

HEYA bro

About time i got set up on this how you up there i miss you soooo bad i love you too bits dylan misses you too and as for the mad child she is mad i swear we looking after the mad aul one she is gone worse i swear she has pat reilly gone ga ga she is the next mary ha ha love you so much hun see you soon you big sis karen (sonya) x x x x x x

Karen Griffin (Sister) January 5, 2009

dylan

hello james how are you we miss you very much and i am looking after my nanny joan for you i will see you wen we all meet in heaven sum day i love you always uncle jay xxx keep me safe and my sister caitlin we love you forever xx

Joan Griffin (Mam) January 5, 2009

Most people walk in and out of you life.
......oooO.......... ....
.....(....).....Oooo ...
......)../.....(.... )....
.....(_/.......)../. ....
...............(_/.. .....
But only Loved one's leave footprints
in your heart.XXX

Jo Barrass January 5, 2009

GOODNIGHT AND GOD BLESS

HOW DOES IT FEEL? WHATS IT LIKE?

IT'S LIKE:
A hole with no bottom
A hill with no top
A road with no bend
A night with no end.

It's as if its not happened
It's as if its not true
Its' as if its a dream
Yet a numbness seeps through.

There's a feeling of emptiness
A gap to be filled
There's a feeling of loneliness
That cannot be filled.

They say time"s a healer
How long will it take?
I cant see it ending
It's a permanent ache.

Life as no meaning
Yet it as to go on
I find it so hard
I feel so alone.

No one will ever know
The depth of my sorrow
I just have to trust
There'll be a better tomorrow.

May god give me strength
To keep on going
To get through this pain
To feel real again.

I'll never get over it
Of that I am sure
But I'll give time a chance
And hope for a cure.

Time's without end
Love is too
I'll never forget you
I'll always miss you

Sister Isabel C. Kelly FMS

Yvonne Richards Mum (GTS Friend) January 4, 2009

TAKE COMFORT
When you feel you miss me most,
As years go drifting by,
Each memory will prove to you,
That love can never die,
That while I left you far too soon,
I did not go alone,
For the father sent his angels,
To gently take me home,
Take comfort when you think of me,
Keep my love deep within your heart,
And with the warmth of each memory,
We will never be apart.

Yvonne Richards Mum (GTS Friend) January 4, 2009

⊱♥⊰~⊱♥⊰ Grieving in Silence ⊱♥⊰~⊱♥⊰

Why must I grieve so silently
When my heart is loudly screaming?
The emptiness I feel consumes me.
O God! How I wish I were dreaming!

The silence around me is deafening,
For no one knows what to say
To comfort this pain I am feeling
Since my sweet son went away.

Each day the sun continues to rise,
And the earth - it still is turning;
Though my world has come to a screeching halt,
Nobody can ease my yearning.

For a part of me has vanished,
And a part of my heart has died,
And no one can hear my heartache
Or feel my turmoil inside.

So I'll go on grieving in silence
And exist on a separate plane;
I'll keep my love for him deep in my heart
Till we see each other again.xxxxxxxxxx

⊱♥⊰~⊱♥⊰

Jo Barrass January 4, 2009

I WISH
Bereaved Parents Wish List
I wish my child hadn't died. I wish I had him back.

I wish you wouldn't be afraid to speak my sons name. My son lived and is very important to me. I need to hear that he was important to you also.

If I cry and get emotional when you talk about my son, I wish you knew that it isn't because you have hurt me. My sons death is the cause of my tears. You have talked about my son and you have allowed me to share my grief. I thank you for both.

Being a bereaved parent is not contagious, so I wish you wouldn't shy away from me. I need you now more than ever.

I need diversions, so I do want to hear about you, but I also want you to hear about me. I might be sad and I might cry, but I wish you would let me talk about my child; my favorite topic of the day

I know that you think of and pray for me often. I also know that my sons death pains you too. I wish you would let me know these things through a phone call, a card or note, or a real big hug.

I wish you wouldn't expect my grief to be over. These first years are traumatic for me, but I wish you could understand that my grief will never be over. I will suffer the death of my son until the day I die.

I am working hard in my recovery, but I wish you could understand that I will never fully recover. I will always miss my son and I will always grieve that he is dead.

I wish you wouldn't expect me 'not to think about it' or 'be happy'. Neither will happen for a very long time, so don't frustrate yourself.
I don't want to have a 'Pity party', but I do wish you would let me grieve. I must hurt before I can heal.

I wish you understood how my life has shattered. I know it is miserable for you to be around me when I'm feeling miserable. Please be as patient with me as I am with you.

When I say, 'I'm doing okay', I wish you could understand that I don't 'feel' okay and that I struggle daily. I wish you knew that all of the grief reactions I'm having are very normal. Depression, anger, hopelessness and overwhelming sadness are all to be expected. So please excuse me when I'm quiet and withdrawn or irritable and cranky.

Your advice to 'take it one day at a time' is excellent advice. However, a day is too much and too fast for me right now. I wish you could understand that I'm doing good to handle an hour at a time.

Please excuse me if I seem rude, certainly not my intent. Sometimes the world around me goes too fast and I need to get off. When I walk away, I wish you would let me find a quiet place to spend time alone.

I wish you understood that grief changes people. When my son died, a big part of me died with him. I am not the same person I was before my son died and I will never be that person again.

I wish very much that you could understand; understand my loss and my grief. But, I pray daily that you will never ' fully ' understand....

Jo Barrass January 3, 2009

xx god bless xx
�:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:�

Beautiful memories
Are wonderful things
They last till the longest day
They never wear out
They never get lost
And can never be given away
To some you may be forgotten
To others a part of the past
But to us who loved and lost you
Your memory will always last...

�:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� �:*:� love MARYANN XXX

Maryann Kennedy January 3, 2009