I received my key from church. They offered Giving Keys to all mothers on Mothers Day 2015. I purposefully chose the word GRACE because I felt compelled that GRACE was exactly what I needed to deal with my husband's battle with Stage 4 cancer.
I wore the necklace religiously every day. To me, it was like my armor -something to keep me guarded against negative emotions and feeling toward myself, others and to cancer in general.
When someone would make an insensitive comment or when I had to juggle 20 things at one time or when I got frustrated with myself or my spouse, I would grab the key and repeat my GRACE mantra over and over until I felt my blood pressure going back down.
I felt as though everyone was watching how I was handling the role of caregiver and I wanted my words and actions to demonstrate GRACE whenever possible. Recently, I have been hearing the word being used by others as we discuss the past two year journey.
I have a friend whose husband Rick is undergoing his own battle against disease and a ticking time clock. She wrote me and said "I don't know how you do it all with such grace", and that is when I knew that it was time to give my key away. Yet, I still waited a bit because I have grown so attached to feeling the "power" from this necklace and I felt unsure of my ability to go it alone.
However, it is now time and my wish is that it provides my friend Holly with the strength to continue to show GRACE in the face of adversity. She is truly amazing and this is meant to simply remind her of that power within her.
I look forward to the day where she can post her story of handing this off to someone else. Today my husband is in remission and Holly and Rick are fighting to find a donor.
I pray that GRACE will be poured over their family and that soon they too can celebrate victory over illness.
