Death into New Life

Death into New Life:

When my mom, and best friend (Rachel) passed away in 2005, I was left dead with her.

In the depth of pain, I never felt or saw anything good in her passing. I took comfort she was happier in heaven, than suffering the slow death of cancer eating away at her, but in the all about me show - I was left here alone, empty, without her.

Going through cleaning all her millions of things from 50 years of marriage to my dad (who passed away the following year in 2006), I cried at the thought all these "things" had a memory for my mom in them. They each told a unique story.

My dad, in his anger and fury wanted to throw the entire attic away in dumpsite. That wasn't working for me, as you might imagine.

Alone in my tears of grief, surrounded by all my mom's treasures, I received an inspiration that her things could live on in others by creating a little shop with the name, "A Little Bit of Rachel - The Unique Boutique."

Well, when I ran downstairs to share with my dad my new found epiphany, he naturally told me point blank I was nuts. In fact, he resentfully retaliated with, " A little bit of Rachel - after what I've seen she stashed up in that attic, I would say it is more like a whole #@!* lot of Rachel."

What happened next?

I found a small place for a little shop off the beaten path in town, friends painted it, helped bring all of mom's things into it, and created a sign with my mother's signature laserd into it. Just like she had newly created the store herself.

People came by just to see the place. Prices were cheap, it wasn't about the clothes, it was about keeping the happy memory of mom alive in others, through her clothes, and many vintage gems.

Customers would buy coats, come back weeks later, and tell me, "I took Rachel to New York city with me last week - we had a blast!" I have books filled with comments like that. Rachel went to Lebanon, Sweden, England - more places than when she was here. And everyone had a story to tell about the beautiful woman, who lived life to the fullest, when they received a compliment on their purchase.

Many I met were just inspired that a mother/daughter relationship could be so close, that this "A Little Bit of Rachel," even existed. Some Mothers got hope of a better relationship with their daughter, when they walked through those doors. That was priceless.

I'd like to think the death of my mom, was transformed into a new life of something even better, greater, larger than her life itself.

In closing, as I sifted through her many collectibles, I found this poem she wrote to her mother, after she passed away. My Nana (Yvonne), her mother, died in my arms in 1995. This was the poem; .

The true love of a mother is indispensable.
Like a rose in bloom,
Like the smell of spring,
Like the whiteness of snow.
The true love a mother is indispensable.
Like a new baby,
Like the very first step..

By Rachel Scott

Don't wait to say, "I love you." Don't wait to appreciate the people God has placed in your life. Don't wait!

And... Keep hope, that anything can be transformed into something good. Even death, into a new type of life.

Photos of mom, and more about the story, are at: www.alittlebitofrachel.com

Love,
Deb

www.alittlebitofrachel.com
www.greenskyandlbluegrass.com