Amelia's Rainbow of Butterflies
Amelias Dad
Posts: 11
How do you do? Please forgive me if I act a little strange. I know not what I do.
On August 24th, 2006, Amelia entered all of our lives and captured our hearts. A big thunderstorm had rolled in just as Amelia was being brought into our world. Minutes after she was born, I looked out the window as the storm passed and in its wake was the most perfect, beautiful rainbow gleaming down on us. It was truly amazing.
Late in the evening of December 30th, 2009, I stepped outside and glanced upward and was captured by how bright and deep the full moon seemed. It was surrounded by a vibrant halo that filled up half the night's sky. It was AMAZING. It was as if heaven had opened up and was waiting with open arms. I knew that her time to pass was very near. I sat by her side, holding her hand, viewing all the pictures and memories we shared, as I listened to and sang Just Breathe to her over and over.
A few hours later, around 3:15 A.M., on New Years Eve, Amelia was taken peacefully through that halo and beyond with her mother and father by her side. The three and a half wonderful years that we shared with Amelia are only the beginning. Her light is eternal and her smile will endure and inspire. She has been and will be the most special gift that the world can offer. We now have a guardian angel to love, guide, and protect us. Memories may fade but her spirit and energy will not.
I am pretty confident in saying that for someone to enter the world by getting sent directly from above through a perfect symphony of colors down to us and then leaving us to return home by exiting through an equally amazing and rare lunar halo, the person was sent for a reason. I have always been a firm believer in the thought that everything happens for a reason.
My Uncle Jim said it best, “I believe that from birth we are all just waiting for the train ride back to heaven. Some of us ride the local and make many stops along the way. Others get their work done right away and catch the express. Amelia certainly did God’s work during her brief train ride. She could have lived for 70 years and not had the effect she did on so many people. I hope that everyone in her life has a chance to reflect on the individual reasons that God gave us the angel Amelia. Each one of us was touched by her life and its now up to us to honor God’s wishes and accept the lessons and gifts that Amelia’s life brought to us.”
One of my vivid memories as the father of Amelia was the experience of our sometimes bi-weekly visits to the Masonic Cancer Center, where cancer patients would go to receive outpatient chemotherapy treatments. Walking into the clinic with Amelia, with her bald head and a big smile on her face, and watching her strut down the hall with a gait of quite confidence is one of my proudest moments as her father. There is something in the way she moves. She would walk head on into a fight for her life every day with a big smile and much love. What was and always will be truly remarkable about Amelia is her ability to always capture, transcend and give meaning with one smile. Typically at the center there would be 15-20 people who were either waging their own battle with cancer or family members of those people. Watching these peoples faces light up with joy, hope, and inspiration because of the strength and love Amelia possesses and the smile she so confidently wears is what is remarkable. Let us all let her love, smile and strength, give us hope and inspiration when we need it most.
“A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.” Maya Angelou
Since we put our daughter’s picture in a frame, I have experienced an unbelievable amount of clarity in my own understanding. At first I felt very guilty about having that. How is it possible that in the wake of the most hurtful loss anyone can imagine that one can have understanding? My world turned black and dark, almost into nothing, man it hurt. But with everyone’s love and support and some deep soul searching I’ve been able to make sense.
A few weeks back a good friend of mine sent me an email he had received from an online dictionary website with the word of the day, Ameliorate (pronounced amelia-rate) and meaning simply to make better, to improve; to heal; to solve a problem. The noun form of the word, amelioration, usually refers to the word in health terms meaning "to make better" or "to improve upon" most often in context of or in reference to ill health of a person but could also be in reference to healing the land, plant, tree, etc. After reading this I began to search for the meaning of Amelia as a name and a word by itself.
I stepped outside to get some fresh air and the world all of the sudden made sense. Upon opening the door to go back in I crumbled to the floor and was struck down, it felt like lightning running through my veins. I sat and cried tears of joy on the floor for five minutes straight. Unbelievable clarity.
I don’t know if it was a sleight of hand or a twist of fate but everything all made sense. I am trying to release Amelia’s Rainbow Butterflies into the wild this spring. There is more to her picture than meets the eye. I do believe in miracles and it is all or none. Let Amelia stand by you, hold your hand and be your light. Amelia, Con Te Partiro.
We only have one world, one chance, one love, one life, ONE. Do you want to lie in your grave wondering what could have been, what might have been?
Rather than the End, this is the Beginning.
With Love, One Love, Guaranteed
Amelia
On August 24th, 2006, Amelia entered all of our lives and captured our hearts. A big thunderstorm had rolled in just as Amelia was being brought into our world. Minutes after she was born, I looked out the window as the storm passed and in its wake was the most perfect, beautiful rainbow gleaming down on us. It was truly amazing.
Late in the evening of December 30th, 2009, I stepped outside and glanced upward and was captured by how bright and deep the full moon seemed. It was surrounded by a vibrant halo that filled up half the night's sky. It was AMAZING. It was as if heaven had opened up and was waiting with open arms. I knew that her time to pass was very near. I sat by her side, holding her hand, viewing all the pictures and memories we shared, as I listened to and sang Just Breathe to her over and over.
A few hours later, around 3:15 A.M., on New Years Eve, Amelia was taken peacefully through that halo and beyond with her mother and father by her side. The three and a half wonderful years that we shared with Amelia are only the beginning. Her light is eternal and her smile will endure and inspire. She has been and will be the most special gift that the world can offer. We now have a guardian angel to love, guide, and protect us. Memories may fade but her spirit and energy will not.
I am pretty confident in saying that for someone to enter the world by getting sent directly from above through a perfect symphony of colors down to us and then leaving us to return home by exiting through an equally amazing and rare lunar halo, the person was sent for a reason. I have always been a firm believer in the thought that everything happens for a reason.
My Uncle Jim said it best, “I believe that from birth we are all just waiting for the train ride back to heaven. Some of us ride the local and make many stops along the way. Others get their work done right away and catch the express. Amelia certainly did God’s work during her brief train ride. She could have lived for 70 years and not had the effect she did on so many people. I hope that everyone in her life has a chance to reflect on the individual reasons that God gave us the angel Amelia. Each one of us was touched by her life and its now up to us to honor God’s wishes and accept the lessons and gifts that Amelia’s life brought to us.”
One of my vivid memories as the father of Amelia was the experience of our sometimes bi-weekly visits to the Masonic Cancer Center, where cancer patients would go to receive outpatient chemotherapy treatments. Walking into the clinic with Amelia, with her bald head and a big smile on her face, and watching her strut down the hall with a gait of quite confidence is one of my proudest moments as her father. There is something in the way she moves. She would walk head on into a fight for her life every day with a big smile and much love. What was and always will be truly remarkable about Amelia is her ability to always capture, transcend and give meaning with one smile. Typically at the center there would be 15-20 people who were either waging their own battle with cancer or family members of those people. Watching these peoples faces light up with joy, hope, and inspiration because of the strength and love Amelia possesses and the smile she so confidently wears is what is remarkable. Let us all let her love, smile and strength, give us hope and inspiration when we need it most.
“A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.” Maya Angelou
Since we put our daughter’s picture in a frame, I have experienced an unbelievable amount of clarity in my own understanding. At first I felt very guilty about having that. How is it possible that in the wake of the most hurtful loss anyone can imagine that one can have understanding? My world turned black and dark, almost into nothing, man it hurt. But with everyone’s love and support and some deep soul searching I’ve been able to make sense.
A few weeks back a good friend of mine sent me an email he had received from an online dictionary website with the word of the day, Ameliorate (pronounced amelia-rate) and meaning simply to make better, to improve; to heal; to solve a problem. The noun form of the word, amelioration, usually refers to the word in health terms meaning "to make better" or "to improve upon" most often in context of or in reference to ill health of a person but could also be in reference to healing the land, plant, tree, etc. After reading this I began to search for the meaning of Amelia as a name and a word by itself.
I stepped outside to get some fresh air and the world all of the sudden made sense. Upon opening the door to go back in I crumbled to the floor and was struck down, it felt like lightning running through my veins. I sat and cried tears of joy on the floor for five minutes straight. Unbelievable clarity.
I don’t know if it was a sleight of hand or a twist of fate but everything all made sense. I am trying to release Amelia’s Rainbow Butterflies into the wild this spring. There is more to her picture than meets the eye. I do believe in miracles and it is all or none. Let Amelia stand by you, hold your hand and be your light. Amelia, Con Te Partiro.
We only have one world, one chance, one love, one life, ONE. Do you want to lie in your grave wondering what could have been, what might have been?
Rather than the End, this is the Beginning.
With Love, One Love, Guaranteed
Amelia
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Comments
Your daughter probably felt very loved or she wouldn't have been so joyful in her life.
thank you and Amelia :angel: so much for sharing it
angels share laughter
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
thank you for sharing your daughter's story with us.
without a doubt she is watching over you all.
that's how things work.
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
Godfather.
Wish you were here...
♥~RIP Dad
I finally read it last night, and I'm so glad I did.
The word that comes to my mind is simply: Inspiring.
Sometimes it takes a two ton heavy thing falling on me for me to gain perspective, and other times a beautiful story will do it for me.
after reading this, I feel like I've experienced both.
Amelia's story and life has touched me, without ever having met her.
Thank you so much for sharing.
-steve
"To question your government is not unpatriotic --
to not question your government is unpatriotic."
-- Sen. Chuck Hagel
I will be enjoying them that much more this weekend because of your wonderful story. You are of monumental strength and inspiration.
Thank you for sharing the story of your beautiful Amelia.
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014