For those trying to find their hope.

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When we go through a loss or face any type of life altering decision, we tend to find ourselves leaning on hope. Whether we do it on purpose or not, hope has a way of getting a foothold in us & fostering a strength that keeps us moving forward.

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Since June 23, 2021, I have basked in the hope that one day my surviving son & I will reunite with Chris & Owen in Heaven. From what I have witnessed, this is a common hope for most grievers. However, hope isn't just for the heartbroken. We can also rely on hope when it comes to other aspects of our lives. Did we choose the right college? Are we making the right decisions when it comes to our careers? Are we doing what's right for our families? Whether it's big things or little things, the list goes on & on. In everything, hope can be a reliable cornerstone to our mental & emotional survival.

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There is a discouraging darkness that can overcome us when we abandon hope. If it isn't hurting anybody, why shouldn't we be hopeful? Hope can be found in so many places...a song, a picture, a book, friends & family, art, nature, our faith, an encouraging conversation with a total stranger, or instances that might be taken to heart as "signs" from beyond...whatever uplifts us & gives us comfort carries with it hope.

 

Although there is symbolism meaningful to our family in the mural, this mural is not dedicated to Chris & Owen. This mural is dedicated to the people in our community; friends that stepped in when everything was just so hard & total strangers that leant support in many generous ways. The kindness shown to my son & me after Chris & Owen died was, and continues to be, immeasurable. The mural is meant to be bright with colors that bring happiness to the soul. The flowers are forget-me-nots, and the jumping fish & waves are pieces from the Chris & Owen Kedas Memorial Foundation logo. The most obvious nod is the baseball with Owen's jersey number, 28. The butterflies are meaningful to me because there have been too many instances, especially regarding Owen, where butterflies have shown up seemingly out of nowhere when I've been thinking or talking to him. Coincidences? Maybe. But the logical part of my brain can take a back seat while I rest my hope in the notion that Owen sent me those butterflies to say hi & to let me know he's ok. One thing that wasn't originally planned for, was the design on the smaller butterfly. In order to make it more masculine, our artist, Darcy Berardi, used geometrical shapes which unintentionally made it look like Alaska native art. Why is that significant? Well, Darcy didn't know I am originally from Alaska, so I am hopeful that Chris & Owen must've played a hand in the process & clued her in somehow. That sounds like something they would do.

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We want people to be able to visit the mural & interact with it; take pictures in front of the butterflies, sit on the bench, smell the flowers... When people visit the mural we want them to be able to find or refresh their own hope, and to let it grow wild!

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Never stop saying their names.

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Sincerely, Lynn Kedas