The Giving Tree

Shortly after Elliot passed away, some dear friends who started out as book club members and grew into much more, offered to plant a tree in our yard in memory of Elliot.  I immediately loved the idea.  And they really did it for us!  They helped us figure out what tree we wanted, they went out and bought it for us, and then they made sure it got planted safely in our yard, right outside our kitchen window, where I would see it all the time.  It is a Weeping Cherry Tree and it gets beautiful white blossoms in the spring.  We love it.

Elliot's beautiful little tree in our backyard

What it will look like in bloom

At different points throughout the last year, I have been thinking about how we would acknowledge the one year anniversary of Elliot's birth (September 1st, 2010) and death (September 9th, 2010).  I read that other mother's who have lost children release balloons or have friends gather at their house.  Both ideas seemed okay, but not quite right.

 I began to think a lot about Elliot, and who his little soul was. Elliot made me pray, he made me think about God, and he made me feel at peace whenever I was near him.  He also brought out the most amazing qualities in other people.  People I had not heard from in years came forward offering their heartfelt prayers and support.  People who I didn't even know were pulling for him and praying for him.  I remember the night before his surgery as I was having trouble falling asleep, I thought about all the people who were praying for his surgery to go well all around the world.  I imagined each one to be like a little light on the globe, and just the idea of that filled me with so much love and gratitude.  So, given all that, it seemed like the best way to remember this little boy, is to be kind.

In honor of Elliot's memory we are asking that anyone who was touched by his life and his story to do something kind for someone else.  Though I call them "Random Acts of Kindness," they don't have to be so random.  After all, you can do very wonderful things for others with a lot of forethought.  It can be something big or something small.  It can be one thing, it can be 20 things.  It can be for a stranger or a loved one in need.  All I ask is that you do it as a way to remember Elliot.  And you tell me about it so that I can write it down and tie it to his tree and during the week anniversary of his life, I can have a visual of the love that this little boy spread.