A Palace for Shayla and the Fairies

The fairy poet takes a sheet
Of moonbeam, silver white;
His ink is dew from daisies sweet,
His pen a point of light.
~Joyce Kilmer

Shayla believed in fairies as much as she did in pots of gold at the end of the rainbow; she took baths with them, stomped in mud puddles with pixies and under a canopy of mushrooms, she saw their tiny homes. 

The past few weeks have seen me work on a special project as a way to honour her beautiful imagination and The Heart Pebble Movement. I found a lovely wooden chapel at the Michael’s Store and decided to create a lasting tribute to my daughter. 

 

I recall taking Shayla to Redwood Park for the first time and when she found out that amongst the spectacular trees, there resided a “Fairy Forest,” she was thrilled to go discover it’s magic. 

In decorating the Fairy Chapel, I put great detail and thought into how it would be created. I have mentioned in previous posts that Shayla actually means: “From the Fairy Palace.” On the outside, I put a sticker from La Nouba we saw at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Then I added quotes about dancing and living life to the fullest. There was a key and star I added, in an addition to a hummingbird. Every single item has significant meaning to me; I am only providing a few details, as this project was very close to my heart. 

On the one side, I added a Fairy girl and also butterflies all around it. A simple cross and praying hands graces the front. Inside, I placed a beautiful picture of Shayla in a blue, scrolled frame. I glued a candle holder and added one single tea light- Shayla’s light illuminating the darkness. Mementos of Faith were sprinkled much like the fairy dust that later Shayla’s best friend, Chantel and I would intersperse in Redwood Park. Links to The Heart Pebble Movement were added and a small polished stone with the word “STRENGTH” was glued inside.

When Chantel arrived to go to the Fairy Forest, I shared with her the Chapel I had made in Shayla’s memory. She loved the entire project and was excited to place it in Redwood Park. Chantel had never been to this extraordinary forest and upon arriving we looked at other fairy doors and another small house that had been created by others. 

We searched for the right location to place the Fairy Chapel. When we came upon a large hollow trunk, I saw something sparkle. It was a red door placed inside the remains of the tree and had an “S” on it! Both of us knew that this was the place to set ours inside. 

I wanted the Chapel to sit on something and when I discovered a small granite stone- a mini version of the one at McKinley Reservoir; I was delighted to set it inside the trunk. On top we put the fairy creation and then built a roof out of moss, bark, leaves and sticks from the ground. 

We felt like warriors of the woods as we gazed upon the final setting of the Fairy Chapel. Chantel had the brilliant idea to shake over the dirt, our red and snow-like glitter, as if to follow the steps of the tiny pixies up to their new home. The butterfly sticks we had were set into the ground. We turned on the light inside and to the left side of the trunk; we put on a light where the tips of a butterfly pulsated a radiant glow. It was reflective of the colourful halo I know my sweet angel now wears. 

Next, we took bubble wands and let the iridescent spheres be carried by the light breeze, settling on the tree trunk and cascading upon the Fairy Chapel. Each of us took our fairy dust and sprinkled a small amount into the palms of one of our hands. Clasping them together, our feet sprung into the air as we chanted: “WE BELIEVE IN FAIRIES!”  

After, as we left under a veil of darkness, Chantel and I pondered over who would be the first to make the grand discovery of our offering to the woods. This fantastic remembrance of Shayla and her love for TINK -along with all fairies-is much like the trees keeping peace. With their branches extending into the real world and offering protection; this is our way to keep her memory alive. 

VIDEO: I HOPE YOU DANCE- LEE ANN WOMACK

http://youtu.be/RV-Z1YwaOiw

By T.L. Alton

Embracing Gifts from the Heart

Your hugs and kisses are like the stars that light up my life when things get dark.  ~Author Unknown

There is a store in White Rock, BC that Shayla and I loved to go into. Every time we stepped through the doors of Whitby’s Books & Gifts, it was an adventure to discover new crystals, stones, look at medicine bags and pick out incense.

Recalling the joyful strolls along the seaside, I can close my eyes and imagine my daughter’s arms reaching upwards to the lavender hues of an ocean sunset. Now I understand… it was the calm before the storm.

After Shayla passed away, I was drawn to the store for a variety of reasons. As I walked around the many displays of unique gifts, the urge to show my daughter something novel I had found, stopped me in an instant. It felt like grief had found a new source of delivering sadness to my heart.

Upon one of my visits, I decided to try and shake the anguish I was feeling, by dropping by Whitby’s Books & Gifts. After looking at a variety of precious stones, my attention was drawn to a small, white clay figurine. I read the information card and was delighted to known what I held in my hand was a hugzz. These imaginative tokens of affection are the compassionate design of Geo Morrow and Joan Bahner. Their story of hugzz evolved and can be found on the hugzz website:

http://www.hugzz.com/about/

After I finished reading why give a hug? , our values, gift ideas and hugzz stories on the site, I decided to contact hugzz. After sharing about how my life had been shattered by the loss of my only child and several messages exchanged, I received a box in the mail. Opening it up, I was overwhelmed to find two small huggz, carefully wrapped and sent to me as a gift from the co-founders of hugzz. That was last year…

In the midst of moving, I packed them away safely. Recently, I found these spectacular hugzz and decided it was long overdue to pour the love for my babygirl, into each one. While most people I would think give away their hugzz, mine I feel are meant for me, from Shayla.

Since the day she learned to wrap her arms around you, my daughter was a hugger. She believed that all crises in life and the world’s problems could be solved with a warm, cuddly embrace. The strands of her hair would brush past my face as she crept from behind and with the vigour of all that was inside her golden heart; flowed outward in the hugs she gave.

As I write this, I would give anything for my child’s arms to wrap around me-yet my aching soul reminds of the tragedy- in which she was taken from me. It is because of the void I feel that I have completed the two hugzz –an extension of Shayla’s heavenly love that she now showers upon me.

The first is a clay figurine wrapping its self around the knees; essentially hugging its very being. I decided to embody the small sculpture with the same vibrancy that my angel personified here on earth. The kaleidoscope robe represents Shayla’s acceptance of everyone and also her arrival to heavens. Each colour of the rainbow is a display of the acceptance she gave to those in need. I painted the hair a shimmering gold, which echoes her golden heart. The butterfly is the release of Shayla from the frozen waters of McKinley Reservoir and was my daughter’s symbol; encompassing her transition from this world onto another. There are several dazzling tears, not of sadness, but of joy for the twenty -one blessed years I was able to have Shayla in my life.  A piece of Fool’s Gold resting on her knees, signifies the illusion when we are alive, of the things we see as superior and the false idealism of their high importance. After Shayla’s passing, pieces of paper with her drawings on it are worth more to me than superficial possessions. 

The other hugzz - two of them embracing- was dipped in red sparkles; a favourite colour of my daughter’s. The meaning of red represents having courage and offers protection from fear, something which I feel expresses the boldness of Shayla.  The hugzz is of mother and daughter embracing once again, after being reunited in Heaven. I chose to have the figurines, enveloped in the radiance of a multitude of butterflies. The wings symbolize the change we evolve into, through unfolding glory. It is interesting to note when people have near death experiences, the one constant recollection is that they were surrounded by butterflies. The shade of pink on the heads of the hugzz implies the unconditional love and nurturing that bonded Shayla and I together. 

To keep my hugzz in a place where I can take them out regularly, is a special ceramic Disney gift, I bought for myself after my babygirl passed away. After my purchase, I brought it home and gently unwrapped the memento box. I soon noticed the block letters… a letter S on the front and on the back an A.

For many years, Shayla had taken up the last name of her step brother and step sister- Alton, instead of Driver. Though she never legally changed her name, she was proud to bare the namesake of her family. Years later, when in high school, Shayla was devastated when she had to return to her birth name, Driver. Seeing this box with Tink from Disney on it, made me realize my purchase was worth it.

In August 2011, when Shayla and I went to Disneyworld, the ultimate highlight of the trip for her was seeing Tink fly over The Magic Kingdom! With the castle lit up by fireworks, I could see my daughter’s tears of joy fall upon her face. In that very movement, I didn’t observe a 21 year old…but my little girl, hair in braids and such innocence in her care- free spirit.

In my heart, I knew my hugzz would find the perfect shelter in the ceramic box that has Tink, smiling. The name for the lidded box is – A Big Laugh 

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 Sometimes, in the smallest things, emerges the considerable joy found in a beautiful hugzz.

By T.L. Alton