Making a difference
If there was one thing Sarah knew, it's that in life there are rights and there are wrongs. Even when it drove her friends crazy, she tried to right the wrongs. This page is dedicated to that attribute.
You may find causes here which you agree with passionately, and others you passionately oppose. That is okay. The purpose of it is to help ignite your desire to right the wrongs of the world to make it a better place for your children's children, however it is that you define the world as being a better place.
The links below are to the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Through her life, Sarah shared Jewish customs and tradition. Through these links, perhaps we can share our passion for justice and social action.
My goal is to build a resource page for Activism.
Please add your passions and feedback, through comments at the bottom, so that I can add your link.
Making your Dash Count 
I’ve just read about Sarah. It breaks my heart that her life was so short. I think you have captured her spirit here, her deep faith and her fun self. Beautiful tributes
Here’s something that may help a little during the holidays. God Bless you all. MJ
Managing Holiday Grief & Loss
Mary Jane Hurley Brant, M.S.,CGP
Psychotherapist & Author of
When Every Day Matters: A Mother’s Memoir on Love, Loss and Life
Simple Abundance Press, Oct. 1, 2008
The holidays have arrived. Normally they are a time for family fun and celebration but when you are grieving the loss of someone who has died, the season is different: it is painful.
Grieving is a long process. It takes time to heal the loss of a loved one. When we are grieving we can feel completely overwhelmed with sadness; overwhelmed with missing the beloved person who has gone and we long for them. We think we will not survive. So we ask ourself, “How can I make it through these days?” Here are some thoughts that have helped me. Maybe they can help you.
For Your Body ~
Rest – Your body has experienced loss. It is exhausted. Take a nap when you can. Walk in the sunshine every day, even 15 minutes will help to elevate endorphins. Take some baths instead of quick showers. Eat nourishing foods like a delicious soup and a slice of warm whole grained bread. Limit your sugar, caffeine and alcohol; they affect mood. Drink generous quantities of water; it restores energy. Get a back massage; it lessens the stress lodged in our muscles. Get and give as many hugs as you can; touch heals. Stroke your pet; it calms the body. Pray, meditate, breathe deeply, practice yoga, and exercise; it brings you home to yourself.
For Your Mind ~
Start a new tradition – If you don’t have small children to attend to, simplify the decorations – an aromatic wreath on your front door and bakery purchased cookies are more than enough. Keep these days simple and peaceful: if you always prepared a big sit-down meal, have a little brunch instead.
Carve out some time for yourself such as an overnight to the beach or the mountains with your prayers, your journal, your favorite inspirational books and your music. I browse the shelves of our local library; it is calming for me. If being around other people helps, seek them; people like to be asked for help; it makes them feel useful when they don’t know how to help. Watch any movie that makes you laugh; you need to help your process along. Lastly, find a person to share your sorrow with whether a friend, a spouse, a minister, a priest, a rabbi, a clergyman, or a counselor.
For Your Spirit ~
First, give compassion to yourself. Remind yourself that you did a good job loving the departed person and trust they are now safe and free. Second, be around those people whom you love and who love you; they will soothe your weary soul. But remember, you are vulnerable now and a remark from an insensitive person will injure you as never before.
Attend church, or synagogue, or temple and pray for the departed, for yourself and your family. Pray for peace, pray for faith, pray for grace, pray for forgiveness. Have a small ritual that not only acknowledges the continued spiritual presence of the deceased but a ritual that you know would make them happy, too. An idea to celebrate the person that you have lost during the season would be to get every member of the family together and bake their favorite cake, pie or cookies then sit down with tea or hot chocolate or cold milk and share happy holiday memories. Maybe family photos or mementos could be brought out. Tears may come but let them; they open up the gates for laughter and hope. In our family we talk about our Katie with our three precious grandchildren so that they have a chance to know her through our remembrances. She is their Aunt Katie in heaven with God now. Katie loved the magic that children bring and she would love how we have opened our hearts to this chapter in our lives.
When we remember that no one’s spirit ever dies we will feel the light of confidence and direction shift in our souls to remember that our loved one is always with us as we are with them. And yes, we acknowledge that our life is not the same without them and we know that we will miss them forever. But we are grateful, so very grateful for having had the great blessing of them in our lives. We will honor our deceased by loving those still in our life and by making every day matter.
Mary Jane Hurley Brant
http://www.WhenEveryDayMatters.com