Today’s post is something that has lain in the corners of my mind for the last few months, not with the intent of it being a post but the impact of it seems to have left an imprint upon my being.
When Covid19 came to Barbados one of the very early cases was that of a young man. I do not know the young man and yet I like so many others watched on with care and concern.
For 68 days he and his family battled all that came with “virus”.
I think there was not a day that passed that I did not pray and look at his mum’s Facebook page to see if he had recovered.
I am not a mother myself but I have two wonderful nieces that are my heartbeat so I truly can not imagine what it must have been like to endure 68 days of being separated from my child ill with the dreaded “virus”
I watched on as the days, weeks and yes even months went by and saw something very beautiful come out of what for all I know may have been this family’s greatest trial.
I watched as their faith shone forth and as friends and strangers supported them and left them gifts of hope and sustenance.
The young mans mother is an artist Maria Elena Rose Leon CEO of Ole’ Love- Be Strong in Heart and Mind. During the time of her sons illness she painted the most beautiful of hearts one of which she gave to him on the day he received his second negative test and went home to be with his family. She has continued to paint these beautiful hearts in multiple colors with multiple meanings and they have been printed on cushions, bags, T-shirts and shawls. They are all BEUTIFUlL and full of so much heart and meaning.
For me this is not the image I will be taking from COVID-19 . The image I will be taking is one of Maria’s hearts. One of faith, hope, love, kindness and strength.
I am fortunate to have two of Maria's hearts gifts given to me by two very special people in my life.
One hangs over the TV in my living room for all our friends and family to enjoy and the other over the TV in my bedroom so that one. of the last images I see before I shut my eyes at night is to. remind me to love, to live, to hope, to have faith and believe in a brighter tomorrow.
I encourage all of you to purchase your own hearts from Maria at https://www.facebook.com/olelovefashion/
I always say that the truest measure of a man or woman is how we respond to great trials and hardship and even if we fall sometimes it is how we get back up. I hope that from the trial that Covid has unleashed upon this world that at the end of it we will be able to see where faith, hope, love, kindness and strength grew and overcame.
I want to thank the Rose family for the example they set, it will never be forgotten.
Please visit Ole’ Love at. https://www.facebook.com/olelovefashion/ please support and spread the love