Drops of Jupiter
Whitten would’ve turned 35 on October 6. My beautiful boy has been gone for 10 years. It’s still hard to believe he was only 25 when he left. He always seemed so mature and older than he was. Sometimes it seems like he was here last year, and sometimes it feels so long ago, I wonder if he was ever really here, or a dream.
Every year since Whitten died in 2012, except for the first one when I was still inconsolable, we have sent out a note with a request for a Random Act Of Kindness in his memory.
I got the idea from my wonderful grief therapist, and knew I wanted to do it on that first year. But I was not capable of it in 2013. My friend and old neighbor Lori, asked her friend and author Glennan Doyle to mention it on her facebook feed. She mentioned Whitten on her Momastery feed asking for a random act of kindness on his behalf. Over 500 people obliged her, from all over the world. Amazing things were done. I printed out the feed and still have it.
Then in 2014, I sent the first one to friends and family and it has grown from a list of 100 or so people, to 250 people. Some of these people I never see, or don’t even know very well. But they get a note and a card every year. And it grows every year.
It is not inexpensive and is labor intensive, but it is my labor of love for my wonderful boy.
I usually have a note on the front and music lyrics on the back. They are usually Beatle songs, since those are my favorite and have such amazing lyrics, that always seem perfect for the situation.
This year I used one of his favorite songs, from one of his first CD’s. And it’s now one of mine. It was written by Pat Monahan when his mom died of cancer.
Drops of Jupiter by Train.
It’s quite perfect for our loss to the universe.
If you got one, then you know what to do. If you want one, email me your address. And spread some kindness around. It never gets old.
Give it a listen…
