Eden's Angel

(Not my photo)

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about Eden's angel, the child who lost his life and allowed Eden to continue her own. We are eternally grateful, you know we are, but have failed in our ability to share this with Eden's donor family. As we finally sat down to transform these feelings into words, I asked myself why it has taken us two and a half years to do this. Then it hit me... I am painfully aware that we are only one half of the extraordinary event that occurred on August 6th, 2008... the better* half. As in most everything in my life, I have trouble being the winner if it means someone else has to lose. This harsh reality has slowed me down, but what finally got us to seal the envelope this month was our ability to focus on the positive. Rather than just feeling bad for their loss, we chose to detail all that has been gained, including the amazing life Eden lives due to the gift they have given.

We hope they embrace our gratitude. We hope they choose to respond. We hope that someday we could introduce them to Eden and reunite them with the part of their child that lives on. And until then, I will continue to see hearts everywhere, and with each one know, that Eden's angel is smiling back at us.


*I say this lightly. The word "better" is relative, of course, Eden's had a very tough road and will for the rest of her life - but she is alive.