This past Saturday, I gave away my "breathe" necklace. I had bought it as a reminder to myself that when life gets difficult, all I need to do is breathe and the anxiety and worry will go away.
The recipient of my key was my mother's closest friend, Lisa. She had recently lost her father, and with her husband passing away unexpectedly six years ago, this was very hard for her. When her husband died, my mother was constantly telling her to breathe through the entire ordeal of planning a funeral and cremating the love of her life before his time. I attended the funeral with my mother to support Lisa and her family (I am close friends with her son). Just before the memorial service, I handed the necklace over to her and said, "I know my mother told you to breathe when Jim (her husband) died. I am giving this key to you because you need this reminder more than I do." She silently gave me a hug and took her place next to her stepmother in the front pew. At the cemetery service, I noticed Lisa was no longer wearing the key. Later, she told me she had given the key to her stepmother, because she knew what it was like to lose her great love and how hard her stepmother was taking the loss of hers.
I was touched that Lisa took to the spirit of The Giving Keys so easily. At the wake, Lisa's stepmother came up to me and told me that my gift, though it wasn't something she wanted, was something she needed. Since I gave away my "breathe" key, I haven't needed the reminder much, because I know that the reminder is serving a greater purpose.
-Samantha
