Thomas Hill

Read at Kierans Funeral

Miss Me But Let Me Go


When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me,
I want no tears in a gloom-filled room,
Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little – But not for long
And not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love that we once shared,
Miss me – But let me go.

For this is a journey we all must take,
And each must go alone,
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan
A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to your friends that we know,
And bury your sorrows in doing good works,
Miss me – But let me go.

Perhaps if we could see the splendour of the land
To which our loved ones are called from you and me,
We’d understand

Perhaps if we could hear the welcome they receive
From old familiar voices all so dear
We would not grieve.

Perhaps if we could know the reason why they went
We’d smile and wipe away the tears that flow
We’d wait content

Miss me – But let me go

Tricia Donaldson Kierans Mum (GTS Friend) October 8, 2009

Candles in the Night

Candles flame in darkness,
Flicker, steadily glow,
Bringing light from shadows
And help to soothe me so.

My son, like the candles,
Gave my life true light,
I use the candle's beacon
To connect us in the night.

As I light the candles,
My wish and my request
Is that he'll see my signal
And know my love's expressed.

As his light joins my lights,
Our worlds touch and flame.
As I snuff out the candles,
I softly say his name.

By Genesse Bourdeau Gentry

Tricia Donaldson Kierans Mum (GTS Friend) September 18, 2009

The Pit of Grief

The day my child died, I fell into the pit of grief. My friends watched me struggle through daily life; waiting for the person I once was to arise from the pit, not realizing 'she' is gone forever.

The pit is full of darkness, heartache and despair; it paralyzes your thoughts, movements and ability to ration. The pit leaves you forever changed, unable to surface the person you once were.

Some of my pre-grief friends gather around the top of the pit, waiting for the old me to appear before their eyes, not understanding what’s taking me so long to emerge. After all, in their eyes, I’ve been in the pit for quite sometime. Yet in my eyes, it seems as if I fell in only yesterday.

Not all of my pre-grief friends are gathered around the top of the pit. Some are helping me with the climb out of the darkness. They climb side by side with me from time to time, but mostly they climb ahead of me, waiting patiently at each plateau. Even with these friends I sometimes wonder if they are also waiting for the pre-grief me to magically appear before their eyes.

Then there are the casual acquaintances, you know the ones who say 'Hi, how are you?' when they really don't care or really want to know. These are the people who sigh in relief, that is my child who died and not theirs. You know ... the 'better them, than me' attitude.

My post-grief friends are the ones who climb with me, side by side, inch by inch, out of the pit of grief. They have no way of comparing the pit climbed to the pre-grief person I once was. You see, they started at the bottom of the pit with me. They are able to reassure me when I need reassurance, rest when I need resting, and encourage me to move forward when I don't have the strength. They have no expectations, no memories and no recollection of how I 'should' be. They want me to get better, to smile more often and find joy in life, but they also accepted the person I’ve become. The 'person' who is emerging from the pit.

Unknown Author

Tricia Donaldson Kierans Mum (GTS Friend) September 1, 2009

Thinking of you.XXX

Next to you

You cannot see or touch me
But I'm standing next to you.
Your tears will only hurt me,
Your sadness makes me blue.
Be brave and show a smiling face
Let not your grief show through.
I love you from a different place,
Yet I'm standing next to you.

Tricia Donaldson Kierans Mum (GTS Friend) June 7, 2009

Life is Hard Without you
•:*:• ♥ •:*:••:*:• ♥ •:*:••:*:• ♥

Missing you more with each new day

and trying to be brave...

Thinking of our happy times

and all the love you gave...

Feeling very grateful

for the dreams we saw come true,

For every lovely thing we shared

and, most of all, for you...

Treasuring each memory

that keeps you ever near...

Remembering familiar things

and wishing you were here.

Life's very hard without you

but that is the price to pay

For all the shared and precious times

grief cannot take away.

Tricia Donaldson Kierans Mum (GTS Friend) March 31, 2009

my adorable baby boy xx xx

hello my little fella mammy is finding it very hard to sleep at the minute carnt get uncle shaun off my mind so i thought i would come and talk to my baby .hope you and all your angel friends were there at uncle tonys birthday party a bet you all had a ball up in gods garden there are a fair few of yous up there now so many special people liven in gods garden.my baby as you know uncle shaun is in hospital and he is not very welll mammy is very concerned and worried about him and i need you and all your angel friends to send some special magic down and sprincle it over uncle shaun anuty julie and aunty nic to keep them strong uncle tony is going to send some extra strength down to them too as mammy wouldnt know what to do if anything happened to uncle shaun im gona go and try to get some sleep now baby and i will talk to you again soon my precious darling baby boy love you always and forever your MAMMY xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx

Kerry Garrity (Mother) October 5, 2008

hi baby

hello little fella mammy and mason have just got back off our hols we had a great time and the weather was fab but you will know all that hope your having great fun with all your angel friends and taking good care of each other thank you for looking after grandad for mammy hes a lot better now but still needs some extra magic sprinked over him to get him back to normal so please keep him strong for mammy and sent him some of your special strength mason has started the juniors now i dont know where all the years go only seems like yesterday when he was born and the same for you all those years ago 14 years is a life time but it seems to have flew buy well i have to go now son i have to be at work soon so mammy will tak to you again soon take care my little shining star mammy loves you always and forever xx xx xx xx

Kerry Garrity (Mother) September 15, 2008

watch over grandad little fella

hello my little fella hope your having fun in your little castle with all your special friends send some magic down for grandad he is in hospital at the minute please help him to get better baby we just want him to be home soon and to get better . mammy and mason are supposed to be going on holiday on monday but it doesnt look like we will make it but thats not a bother we only want grandad to get better we can go away any time thats not important . got to go now little one to pick mason up from school and go to see grandad hope he is a little bit better talk to you soon my little fella love you always and forever mammy xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx

Kerry Garrity (Mother) June 5, 2008

special little boy

hello baby hows things in your baby castle hope your having great fun with all your angel friends mammy and mason are going on holiday next week just for five days hope the weather stays nice . and hope your little brother is ok traveling he has been a bit sickly the last couple of times we have went any where well take care little one and i will talk to you again soon love always and forever mammy and mason xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx xx

Kerry Garrity (Mother) May 27, 2008

The Bridge
by Joy Cowley

There are times in life
When we are called to be bridges
Not a great monument spanning a distance
And carrying loads of heavy traffic,
But a simple bridge to help one person from here to there
Over some difficulty such as pain, grief, fear, loneliness,
A bridge which opens the way for the ongoing journey.

When I become a bridge for another
I bring upon myself a blessing
For I escape from the small prison of self
And exist for the wider world
Breaking out to be a larger being
Who can enter another’s pain
And rejoice in another’s triumph.

I know of only one greater blessing in this life
And that is to allow
Someone else to be a bridge for me.


Thank you for being my bridge.XXX

Tricia Donaldson Kierans Mum (GTS Friend) May 18, 2008