In Loving Memory:
Austin Winters (September 18th 2008)
A Very Short 10 Years

Austin was one of the honored children, along with Rebekah, for this year's Candlelighters Ride For A Child fundraser. The ride finished on September 13th, Austin died 5 days later. From Austin's local paper: An artist and friend met with Austin 3 days before his death: "The boy drifted in and out, but roused himself for a 20-minute conversation about heaven. Together, they dreamed of a place with sunny skies and plenty of open roads to ride motorcycles. This heavenly place, they decided, has no laws against speeding and bikers don't have to wear helmets." Read the whole story here.

It is very difficult for all of us who have similarly situated children. On one hand it slams our childrens' issues into our faces. It makes us face the fact that the odds are greater than not that we will have to deal with this too; we don't know if it will be tomorrow, next week, next month, or ??? It makes us do things parents should never EVER have to do like thing about their own child's funeral. And then on the other hand it makes us realize how lucky and special we are that we get one more day with our kiddo.

Either way we feel guilty. We feel guilty for rejoicing when there are others experiencing such loss. And we feel guilty for feeling "bad" when we still are blessed with the life of our little one.

As has often been said, it is not right, IT IS JUST NOT RIGHT.

The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking. Please see her blog and thank her for its use.