Mother's Heartbeat

Mother's Day. Flowers and candy and breakfast in bed. I have marketed my necklaces as wonderful gifts for your wife and mom. And they are. Each piece of glass carries a story of hope and redemption. Each is a mystery and a repurposed beauty. Some pieces more rare than others. Some considered precious to sea glass collectors. One especially is highly sought after. Red glass.
Often when people inquire about my necklaces they will say "Do you have any red?" And this is the story I will tell them.
Red is precious. I have had a total of three pieces in the last two years. Some people search a lifetime for even one of these pieces. I found one on my very first day of collecting sea glass in Jacmel, Haiti. One of my deaf artists found one and I was given one.
I tried to make necklaces with these but somehow it did not seem right. I knew I could not sell them. They were too precious.
 Then this past winter we heard of the death of a baby. The mother of the child asked that people who attended the funeral should wear red. At that moment I knew. I knew that these pieces were far to precious to sell. The Mother's Heartbeat necklace was first created for this dear woman as a memorial to her most precious child. Just a token really for this child is so far more precious than anything that could ever be made.
Since then I have made one of these for my closest friend whose son died eleven years ago. I will never forget him and still after all this time I know the pain remains. With each birthday and anniversary...it still hurts. I want to remember with her. His life mattered. Her pain still matters. This necklace a visible token to wear close to her heart that says "My child is precious."
Today with tears I fashioned my last piece of glass. Loosing a child is always the worst heart break a woman can know. To loose a baby just a few days before Mother's Day....really I don't even have words. But I want to acknowledge that is child matters.  Even thought we will never see the baby's face this side of paradise this child is precious. Precious to the mom and dad. To me. And so precious to God.
So I send this necklace off. With love and with prayers. Knowing that a Mother's heart is broken but also knowing that God holds her baby and he holds her heart.
Remember this Mother's Day those around you who will not get flowers and candy or breakfast in bed. Those who are aching for their children and those who are longing to have children. Mother's Day is a painful time for them. Acknowledge them. Honor them. And love them.