Crafting Away the Sadness

Hello everyone, how have you been? Apologies for my absence. 

My sweet mother Eloisa passed away on January 31st. 

It was one of those days that I feared -- when you receive THE phone call and you scramble to get to the hospital. But the hospital is half way around the world from where I live, involving a 15-hour plane ride to Hong Kong and another two-hour plane ride to Manila. Luckily, my husband and I were able to book our flights (without having to pay an exorbitant fare), pack our suitcases, and tell our respective bosses that we had to take a break from work for a medical emergency. 

My mom suffered a massive stroke. And while the loss and sadness is apparent, I am most grateful that I was able to say my goodbyes and "I love yous". And that she didn't suffer. And that she was surrounded by the whole family as she journeyed home. 

Dealing with loss is something I'm still trying to navigate. But just like on good days, when I have bad days, I craft. 

My mom owned this locket (I do have a fondness for lockets).

I chose a few pictures that I resized on the computer. It's wise to have a variety of photos, sizes, and color saturation as options. 

I cut around the photos and put them inside the locket. 

The first one is of my parents on their wedding day. The second is of my mom and me. I chose these because she looked very, very happy in them. Of the many roles she juggled, being wife and mother was her priority. 

I put the locket on a chain that I own, for me to wear as frequently as I can. TADA!