As
Christmas 2004 approached, I
struggled with wanting to
find the perfect gift for my
75 year old aunt. She and I
had shared many experiences
in our mutual quest to live
a full and sober life.
Since the loss of my own
mother 20 years ago, she has
understood my own personal
pain and inspired me to
persevere. Life had been
hard to her, yet she had the
remarkable ability to share
her strength and courage
with others....especially
with me.
This woman had given so
much of herself, and all
that she possessed, to her
family; particularly to her
two children...both of which
have also struggled with
their own sobriety.
Despite surviving
multiple health issues, a
failed marriage, being
alienated from her children,
and later, receiving a
diagnosis of throat cancer,
she maintained her faith in
God and found great comfort
in the fellowship of AA.
She worked for the city
of Reno Nevada as a social
worker and saw firsthand
what the ravages of gambling
and substance addiction can
do to families and to the
city she loved. Quite
simply, this woman gave more
than she received....and she
was dearly loved by many.
In all honesty, I
literally stumbled upon your
web site last December. Yet,
when I saw the beautiful
jewelry you create, I knew
that I had found the perfect
gift for this special person
in my life.
My aunt called me on
Christmas night to tell me
that she absolutely loved
the bracelet I had ordered
for her. (The
Serenity Prayer Bracelet)
I couldn't help but notice
that she sounded so frail
over the phone lines. Little
did I know, it would be the
last time she could call me.
Three weeks ago, I
learned that my aunt
experienced a reoccurrence
of the cancer once thought
to have been previously
eradicated by surgery.
Treatment was not possible
and time was short.
My family decided that we
would rather have the
opportunity to say goodbye
to her in person while we
had the chance to do so. It
was a long
voyage...traveling from New
Hampshire to Nevada, but it
was an important one.
As I stood by her bed a
week ago Sunday, she
motioned to me to look
toward her dresser. On the
top of her dresser, stood a
wooden cross which had been
handmade years earlier by
her son. And hanging from
the cross, was the bracelet
you created and which meant
so much to her.
She explained that she
had lost so much weight due
to her illness that her
bracelet kept sliding off
her wrist. So she hung it
upon the cross she had
worshipped all her life.
My aunt passed away the
next day. One week later, I
received a box. Inside the
box was the wooden cross
which stood on her dresser.
The bracelet, I assume, had
been passed most
appropriately to her
daughter in the hopes that
she too, can find serenity
in her own sobriety. I
consider it my aunt's legacy
to the one person who needed
it most.
I may order the same
bracelet I gave to my aunt,
for myself. I too, have
found peace and serenity in
sobriety.
And if I do, there is
little doubt that my
bracelet will hang from the
same cross.
Thank you Shirley!
(If you mention in your
email to me that you have
read this testimonial, and
were inspired to give this
as a gift to a loved one
struggling to stay sober and
substance free, I will
include a FREE gift card, (a
4.00 value) with the
meanings of the stones and
how they apply to the
spiritual principles in The
Serenity Prayer. )
God - Serenity - Acceptance
- Change - Courage - Wisdom
God Bless, and thank you so
much for visiting my site.
Shirley
Handmade
12 Step Spiritual & Inspirational Jewelry Gift Store