Missing Your Parents During the Holidays Series: 7 Ways to Feel Better (Part 3)

 

Got Stuff?

If your parents left behind things you don't really need in your daily life, why not put them to good use? You can sell those items on craigslist, ebay or if it's funky enough, even etsy! Put money from the sales in a special envelope. You can write something on it like "love mom and dad" or just leave it blank. Maybe even draw a big heart on it! When everyone is getting presents from their parents or you're just feeling like you'd like a physical gift from them - buy yourself something using the money in the envelope! The gift will be from the your parents and you will be able to use it or appreciate it even more.

make an envelope

If you are trying to maximize the amount of money you have on hand to buy yourself presents, I would *not* recommend having a yard sale. You don't make a ton of money off of yard sales, the whole point is really just to get rid of stuff. Another blog post for another time...

 

A little story about my envelope

After 3 years, we finally sold my mom's beetle. I split the money with my brother. I have an envelope that I keep money in and when I'm feeling down or missing my mom (she used to buy me a lot of gifts), I can buy myself a present! This feels like I'm keeping the memory of my mom giving me gifts alive, and I can rid of things I'll never use just because I'm emotionally attached to them.

I've bought myself a couch from old stuff my parents left behind, clothes, entertainment. When I run out of money in the envelope, I find something else to sell. I feel like they left behind so much, this is a good opportunity to turn things I don't use into treasures I will use.  

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About the Author
"The Last Words Ever Spoken" A free book for you. 19 Pages, PDF. Get it, here

My name is Lisa A. Snyder and I have lost both parents in my 20′s to cancer. My father passed away the day before my 23rd birthday from Hodgekins Disease Lymphoma in October 2004 and my mother passed away when I was 27, to AML (Leukemia), in June 2009. After being by their side during the decline of their health, I learned to be present and to help each of my parents finish up their business here in preparation for transitioning to whatever is after this life, deal with family, hospitals, keeping up my energy level, staying afloat in my own life as well as process my own grief.

Now, I’m working towards understanding how to live and keep living as best I can with life’s challenges I face daily, not having any parents. I’m trying to continue to live a healthy, active and adventurous, art filled life while I attempt to understand how to cope each day that goes by that they aren’t in my physical life.

My Intention is to connect those of us who have lost our mothers, our fathers or both parents, at any age, through art, writing, and focusing on the positive, despite these circumstances that have changed us forever.

Losing your parents could be anything from cancer, illness, sudden death, divorce, separation, being adopted, growing up not knowing who your mother or father was or being cut off from your parents because of your sexuality or life decisions.


Read more about my journey on my blog: http://LosingYourParents.org
See the art I create on my website: http://LisaASnyder.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/LosingParents
Like me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/LosingYourParents
Helping The Bereaved