Grace McDonnell had the dream of becoming an artist who created and sold her paintings on the beach.  She loved to create art and color her world beautiful.   One of her common images in her work was a peace sign. Her parents report she loved school so much that she would skip to the bus.  She loved her classmates and her school.  Her family is amazing.  They described how they used Grace’s collection of Sharpie markers to draw and write on her white casket….a casket so white that it took Grace’s mom’s breath away when she saw it.  She said she felt as it the floor was dropping out from under her.  But as the family drew and wrote notes on this white vessel, the color and beauty of it made them feel alive again.  They said the entire surface was covered with color.

Hearing Grace’s mom and dad talk about her and the school she attended, I really wondered what I know about my children.  What joys and frustrations do they have during the parts of the day I am not with them?   I mourned every second I could have spent with them and did not.  Why would I choose to not be with them when I could?