Out of the Darkness

I haven't blogged in a long time. This I know. I have had plenty of reasons to blog. We moved the day after Christmas, the kids are funny and do hilarious things, the lego up the nose for 10 hours, and just the daily happenings. But of course.....I didn't blog any of these.

Remember the little egg commercial? You know, the little depressed egg? The one that wanders around with a sad face and a little gray cloud hovering over him. Well, I have been that little egg. Don't get me wrong, I am still hanging out with my friends and socializing and going to church and being a mom and all, but deep down inside...I'm that egg. A piece of my heart is just missing. It is a strange feeling. I wake up in the morning and the first thing I think of is my kids. Whether they are still sleeping or why are they up so early? Then the second thing sinks in. Again and again a constant reminder throughout my day. My brother Jeff is gone.


With every passing holiday or family birthday event....there is that little shadow. You would think with 7 kids in the family, one missing wouldn't make so much of a difference. But that one missing has made a huge difference. It is an empty feeling. An incomplete feeling.

We are coming up on the one year mark of my brother's passing. March 24th. It has been a very hard year for me and my family. This past year has brought my family even closer than it was before, but it has been hard to say the least. We have participated in some family walks and runs in the community with the benefits going to the Suicide Prevention Center. It has helped us heal and feel the support of our friends.

My oldest brother Chris is doing a fundraiser for him as well as my 2 other brothers to participate in the "Out of the Darkness Overnight". It is an 18-mile journey through the night, from dusk until dawn. It's a unique opportunity to bring the issues of depression and suicide into the light as they walk together to turn heartbreak into hope for tomorrow.

It's going to be on June 26-27, 2010 as thousands of Walkers come together in Boston, Massachusetts .

Each participant must raise $1000 to participate in the walk. My brothers will be walking for Team Jeff Rand. They must raise $3000. We have decided to ask all our friends for their support. One of the goals of the walk is to bring awareness to those affected by suicide and depression. To erase the stigma that is too often associated with those conditions.

Survivors of suicide are advised to 'live one day at a time.' This is not only good advice but a matter of survival. Our world was fundamentally rearranged when Jeff died. It's now been almost a full year since his death, and it really has FELT like: ...one ...day ...at ...a ...time.

I know this walk is going to help my brothers. They miss their best friend, their brother. I am really excited for them to go and do this in June. Please give them your support!!!

AFSP - AFSP - Welcome to Chris Rand-Reynolds's Fundraising Page!