One
More Gift
by
Joanne Kosta, RN
I could always count on Rosanne to be generous. She had empathy for causes and concerns
outside of herself. She really didn’t
know how to help our other sister with mental illness but she was quick to
respond in any way that she could. When
she died four years ago, we suggested two memorial gift beneficiaries. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness),
because we knew of her love for my other sister and her wish to help, and SJCC
(the high school she graduated from so they could use it for scholarships). The school received a nice gift and we were
able to give over a $1000 to NAMI because the option was available to
people.
Most of us want to “do” something when a friend or loved
one dies. We want the family to know
that we share in the grief and recognition of the person’s life and good
qualities. We can choose to send
flowers, express our condolences with a kind word or hug, share a memory, and
maybe give a gift of money. The family
has the option to suggest where these memorial gifts go. Usually it is a charity, service
organization, church or school. As the giver, we choose to give a gift for the
family “to use as they see fit.” That
can be very helpful especially if the death is unexpected and funeral costs were
not anticipated or family had to travel great distances.
We, as funeral goers, can also designate a charity or
cause that is important to us and that
we think the deceased would approve of.
If we choose that route though, it is important to include as much
contact information as possible so the family is not burdened by having to spend
too much time trying to decipher our intentions and follow through.
We hate to go through these losses. But, along with the sadness, it was such a
joy to be able to present NAMI with a gift that year. I know Rosanne would have been delighted to
help out.
These are hard economic times for organizations that
rely on donations. Nobody wants to
“profit” off of another’s loss—that’s for sure.
But it can be a very helpful for them to receive a gift in honor of those
we love. And it will be one more gift
that our loved ones are giving, even if indirectly—touching others with who they are and who we know them to be—even in death. It is a bittersweet moment.
Ms.
Kosta is a registered nurse who received her BSN from the
College of
Mt. St.
Joseph in 1981. She has specialized in the field of
prevention, healthy lifestyles, and natural approaches toward wellness. She is in her 15th year as a Independent Shaklee Distributor. You can reach Ms. Kosta at 419-332-3857 or
email her at healthnow@glis.cc
Yours in good
health,
Joanne
Kosta
