Tuesday’s Grateful List 

Today I am grateful for Ipswich Hospice Care. 

On Saturday afternoon I had the privilege of attending their annual Rose Planting Ceremony . This ceremony was instigated to provide an afternoon  for families to honour their family members who had died at Hospice by being involved in a ceremony where a rose was planted in memory of their loved one. 

The format of the day was music, the reading of selected prose and poetry, reading the names of the guests who had died in the last year and finally unveiling the memorial plaque and planting the rose. 

This ceremony has been going for a number of years and Hospice now has a beautiful rose garden with many plaques throughout. The blooms from the roses are cut and placed in vases throughout Hospice for the enjoyment of current Guests, families, team members and visitors. 

It was the most beautiful ceremony. I was overwhelmed with the emotion of the afternoon. One of the things that affected me was that 300 people were all in the one place honoring their loved ones. I looked out on a sea of faces – mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, children and friends. They were all grieving for a loved one. They were all on a journey of grief but this afternoon they were all sharing their grief quietly together  in a beautiful setting at a beautiful ceremony. 

The names were read out quite slowly so each family could take time to contemplate their lost loved one. 

I was honored to be able to do a reading. The reading I did was very moving: 

                                                                                       Loving from the Outside in Mourning from the Inside Out 

I am sad and I am present to all that is good in my life.

I feel lost and I am finding my way.

I miss him and I choose joy

I am bereft and I am actively loving others in my life

I grieve and I love.

I love and I mourn.  

                                      Alan D Wolfelt  

The music was very beautiful too. A lady sang this beautiful song . 

I am so grateful for this Community of Compassion and I am honored to be part of it as a volunteer .

Until next time 



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