Sue Scheff: Tomorrow's Rainbow - Helping children deal with grief

Losing a loved one is difficult. During the holiday season this loss can seem overwhelming for many adults, however can we imagine how children must feel?

Tomorrow's Rainbow is an organization and ranch located in Coconut Creek, Florida that strives to help children that have lost a parent or loved one. Their mission statement is:

Tomorrow's Rainbow is committed to guiding children and their families through the grief process. By combining miniature horse interactions with camaraderie, compassion and guidance, they will begin healing and will be led toward a more joyful future.

Tomorrow's Rainbow is a special place for children that have experienced the death of a loved one. By incorporating miniature horse interactions with therapeutic play areas and facilitated peer support, children are given the tools necessary to take their own personal grief journey in a way that is meaningful to them. Tomorrow's Rainbow is a safe place where children feel, often for the first time, understood.


The founder, Abby Mosher, knows first-hand how a loss of a loved can affect a family and especially children. Several years ago she lost her husband in a tragic car accident and her children lost their loving father. Recovering from this devastation took time and counseling. During this time, she meet an acquaintance that used miniature horses to help encourage sick children. Abby immediately thought how these same horses could help bereaved children.

She envisioned her dream and created a safe and compassionate environment with her love of animals, especially her miniature horses. Soon 10,000 Teens for Tomorrow's Rainbow will be introduced. South Florida teens are changing the way grieving children, teens and their families are supported in our community.

Do you want to find out more about Tomorrow's Rainbow or how you can help? Maybe you are interested in volunteering? Contact Abby Mosher at abby@TomorrowsRainbow.org  and you can follow her on Twitter @AbbyMosher and watch the 2 minute video.

Tomorrow's Rainbow is guiding children back to joy....

Also read more and watch video on Examiner.

Sue Scheff: Messenger - Amazing story!

Messenger

By Jeni Stepanek (author) with Larry Lindner (collaborator)

An inspiring look at a young man who embodied the best of human nature, touched millions, and worked tirelessly for peace-told through the eyes of the woman who raised him.

Oprah Winfrey has called him "an inspiration," Maya Angelou saw him as a kindred sprit and fellow poet, and Jimmy Carter described Mattie Stepanek as "the most remarkable person I have ever known." When Jerry Lewis received his lifetime achievement award at the Oscars, footage of Mattie played behind him. Five years after his death from a rare neuromuscular disease, Mattie is still being celebrated for his indomitable spirit and message of hope. Now the world will get to know the full story of the poet, the peacemaker, the philosopher, and New York Times bestselling author in the first book to share all of the intimate details of his incredible life.

In Messenger, Mattie's mother, Jeni Stepanek, recounts the years before Mattie got sick; how he handled the loss of his siblings from the same disease he had; his decision to spread the message of peace and hope; and how, when he became a celebrity, Jeni helped to keep him grounded, and remember to embrace being a kid. Including never-before- seen poems, journal entries, photos, and correspondence with famous friends, Messenger is an inspirational book about a life lived to the fullest.

"Not a day goes by when I don't receive e-mails and letters saying that Mattie's poetry and speeches are not enough-people want to know about him directly and intimately. I am thrilled to have joined with Dutton so that I can now tell all his fans the full story behind my son." - Jeni Stepanek

Order on Amazon today and visit http://www.mattieonline.com/ for more information.