The kindness of strangers never ceases to amaze us, and this has been proven once again by a beautiful story on Love What Matters.
Grieving mother Tricia Belstra has recounted the story of how a flight attendant comforted her at her time of need, while travelling recently.
Tricia was flying on August 18 and, not feeling well, she had a sick bag between her legs. A flight attendant who was taking drinks orders came along and asked her if she was OK, before coming back with a glass of water and a Coke.
“I told him I was flying back to bury my son,” she recalled.
As she was leaving the plane, the flight attendant handed Tricia a handwritten note on a napkin – and it was exactly what she needed to read at that harrowing moment in her life.
The note read:
“In 2004, my family lost my older brother. As traumatic as it still is for me, I can’t even pretend to truly know the pain you feel as a mother. I did, however, watch my mother’s grieving process (a process that will never end).
“Firstly, being a mother is about giving birth to new life as a promise to the future. Your mission doesn’t end now – your son’s life is bigger than his death and always will be.
“My own mum struggled desperately, chasing a faraway goal of somehow lessening the pain. As she has realised now, the pain hardly lessens. Don’t expend your energy trying to chase this. Instead, go all-out finding opportunities to experience joy.
“Visit family, get close to those you’ve lost touch with, travel. This is your story, and you owe it to yourself and your son to make sure that you survive this. Do not pressure yourself!
“This world is full of people who do truly care about you, even if it doesn’t feel that way. I won’t stop thinking about you anytime soon, or how you’re doing, or what you’re up to. You’ll come out of this a stronger person, and I’ll be rooting for you the whole time.”
As you can imagine, the note moved Tricia to tears. She went on to share the note in a bid to track down the flight attendant, to thank him; but, also, to share his moving sentiments with others who may be struggling with grief.
The outpouring of love for Tricia, the attendant and all those grieving the loss of a loved one has been overwhelming.
