@magnoliaharborcarefarm: Last week, Magnolia Harbor was invited to participate as a vendor for the CONTACT Care Race for Hope 5k. . Each community agency was asked to have an engaging activity at their table--an activity that, ideally, represented the work of the agency. . Even greater was the hope that the table activity would invite connected conversation to foster a sense of community between those participating in the 5k and the agencies present at the event. . The seedling of an idea was planted (🥰) that Magnolia Harbor offer an activity "In Memory Of" to discuss our therapeutic work in the traumatic grief spaces. . That idea? . To have little hearts available as a conversation starter and offering for folks to take with them. . Only...we transformed that little seedling of an idea into an entire project that deepens the connection to our community--and especially with our traumatically bereaved community. . See, those little hearts are not just paper hearts that say "In Loving Memory." . Those hearts contain wildflower seeds to be planted in honor and loving memory of someone. . As folks stopped by Magnolia Harbor's table, I shared about our therapeutic work and that a critical component of our work was building therapeutic community. . Community that holds the hearts of one another in big and small ways. . Folks were invited to write the name of their loved one on a heart and offered the opportunity to either take the heart home to plant in their own garden... . ...or the heart with their loved ones name could be placed in our Community Memorial Garden. . So many chose to leave their hearts with us to be planted in this shared community space. . A space being tended to by our community volunteers. . A space containing seeds planted in honor of loved one lost far too soon. . A space that will offer a quiet space to be present with the complexity of the most tender parts of bereaved hearts. . Compassionately connected community infused into every element of what we are building at Magnolia Harbor. . We hold the hope that every person who spends time at Magnolia Harbor Carefarm feels the alchemy of love--that they matter; their presence in this world matters; every single part of their story matters and deserves to be witnessed and held in love and compassion; and that they have permission to come as they are and be met with and welcomed with love.
