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“Your life is a story of transition. You are always leaving one chapter behind while moving on to the next.” – Anonymous
Meet the Creator
Meet the creator: Heidi Van Kirk is a passionate development professional and community advocate who embraces the beautiful chaos of life as a devoted mother, grandmother, and caretaker to her aging parents. She understands the unique challenges and joys that come with balancing these roles and shares her heartfelt stories and advice through her blog. Heidi aims to inspire those navigating similar journeys; believing that by sharing our experiences, we can support one another and find strength in connection. Join her as she openly discusses joy, grief, stress, and celebrations, offering compassion and encouragement along the way.
Moments of Inspiration
Signs and Messages Provide Comfort
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​My Dad used to talk about how he never wanted to die but knew he would one day. He would also tell me how he wouldn’t want me to be sad, because we all die. So to reassure me, starting from a young age, he made me a promise, of which he reminded me of time and again. He promised that after his death he would come back to me in the spirit and body of an owl; and sit outside my window and when I least expect it, I would hear him call out to me with a "hoo hoo".
My Dad passed on Monday morning, April 14th, just before 4:30am. I was walking to my car within half an hour of that time, and I remember vividly how big and bright and full the moon was. It felt eerie and warm at the same time. As I rounded the corner to where I was parked, in a dark lot situated under the hospital room window where my dad passed away, I heard the clear and distinct hooting of an owl-gentle and steady. I swear I wasn’t listening for it, and hadn’t even thought about that yet as I was still in grief and shock. I stopped in my tracks and waited... and there it was- it happened again. Right then and there I googled owl sounds to see if I was mistaken or confirmed and stood playing them on my phone. As I stood by the car, questioning my sanity, I heard it a third time. Sure enough, it was the same sound. With tears rolling down my face, I softly whispered, “thank you Dad for letting me know you are okay”, and as I opened my car door to get in, I heard it once again, this time tracking the sound to the tall tree just outside the room where I last held his hand. My heart was aching with both comfort and pain at the same time, for I knew he wanted me to feel him there just like he promised he would. I will now forever be looking and listening for messages from you, Dad. I hope your soul was the chosen one for that owl to emody that night, so you can come to visit and comfort me over and over again.
Today I got to be me!
Today a group of industry leaders and I worked with others at our State Capitol to help educate policymakers on issues that impact our home building industry. The inspiration of others really does have significant healing quality. Being able to focus on topics that I am passionate about, and share it with others was the lift I needed this week to remind me that I am still a person, as well as a caregiver. I am still a professional, and I am pretty damn good at what I do. This makes the rest of what I do feel even more rewarding. Because today I inspired myself, while being inspired by others. Today was a good day.
Someone Is Learning
After a rough morning working to bring up Dad's oxygen and get him alert enough to swallow his medications, my sweet grandbaby and grandpup snuggled together for naptime. The gentleness and softness in her little "good boy" inspired me and reminded me that everything we do is for a reason...and even the littlest eyes see it. Some days I worry that being around the hard parts so often might not be the ideal scenario. But then I see her sharing the same gentle compassion with her favorite puppy. All moments have the possibility of becoming teaching moments, even if leading by example, even if the lesson isn't obvious, and even when you aren't even trying. Someone might be learning from you.