“Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them.
Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain but for the heart to conquer it.
Let me not look for allies in life’s battlefield but to my own strength.
Let me not crave in anxious fear to be saved but hope for the patience to win my freedom.
Grant me that I may not be a coward, feeling your mercy in my success alone; but let me find the grasp of your hand in my failure”

– Ranbindranath Tagore, “Fruit-Gathering” from “On Death and Dying”

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do” – Eleanor Roosevelt

ASK FOR THE LADDER

“Sometimes when you are deep down in the dark hole you must stop and ask your self: Am I going to grab the shovel or reach for help from a Higher Being and ask for the ladder to get back into the light?” – Laurie L. Bayless 10/21/07

Who Am I and Why This Blog?

My name is Laurie L. Bayless, student of grieving, wife, and the mother of four boys. The oldest born in 1987, the second 1990, the third 1993 and our recent Robert "Greggory" Bayless born September 30, 2003 who resides in Heaven as of January 31, 2006.
This is my first real blog which will be a growing experience and appreciate any advice and comments you may have to offer. I did create a blog at www.robertgreggorybayless.blogspot.com, however, this was during a time of great grief and unfortunetly I still can't figure out how to access and update it (silly me).
I've created this blog to grow with the opportunities that God is bestowing upon me to support and comfort others either in grief or working with people who are grieving. I would like to see changes in how our country deals with grief, we are still stuck in pioneer days and it's too often to be kept in the dark. This curtain grief is to be held behind leaves our country with many struggles as little people are aware of how to help the grieving and the grieving are too often told that they are grieving wrong and need to stand and be strong. As a grieving mother, I believe people must realize that the parents of a child who has died, we are strong because we are still alive and breathing.
I thank all who read and all who interact. If you are grieving, know you are not alone and there is no right or wrong way to grieve, it is the hardest work you have in life.

Laurie