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I
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Wishes
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for the Grieving and Healing Heart f
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The beautiful parable of the water bugs and the dragonfl y, written by an e
anonymous author, has often been a source of comfort and inspiration to those G
who have suffered the loss of a loved one. The dragonfl y stands as a symbol of r
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transformation and the different stages of life, a reminder that there is more to the e
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world than our current perception allows. i
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In Wishes for the Grieving and Healing Heart, author Tricia LaVoice expands g
upon this metaphor and uses her own personal experiences to deliver earnest a
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insights into the emotion of loss. Her original prose, poetry, refl ections, and
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pragmatic suggestions address the pain and suffering we experience after losing a
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loved one. She opens an honest conversation on the courage and support it takes
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to properly grieve before fi nding the love we need from ourselves and others to a
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begin to heal. n
This book is comforting and loving, candid and raw—and it’s a must-read for g
anyone who has lost someone dear to their heart. H
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Tricia LaVoice is an author, speaker, and mother of four who lives in
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Avon, Connecticut, with her husband and children.
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Several of her “Wishes” have been aired on the nationally syn- C
dicated radio program Hollywood Confi dential, and can be found at: I
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wishesfortheheart.com.
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A
V
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Tune in to HayHouseRadio.com® I
for the best in inspirational talk radio C
featuring top Hay House authors! E
ISBN: 978-1-4019-4267-0
5 1 3 9 5
Cover design: Fabio of Doghaus Designs
Photo of Tricia: David Zentz Photography 9 781401 942670
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Also by Tricia LaVoice
Wishes for a Mother’s Heart: Words of Inspiration, Love, and Support
(with Barbara Lazaroff)
Wishes for Better Living: Thoughts and Inspirations for
Everyday Transformation (e-book with Barbara Lazaroff)
Wishes for the Heart: Love and Be Loved (e-book)
Wishes for Forever Friends: Celebratory Thoughts and Inspirations (e-book)
Please visit:
Hay House USA: www.hayhouse.com®
Hay House Australia: www.hayhouse.com.au
Hay House UK: www.hayhouse.co.uk
Hay House South Africa: www.hayhouse.co.za
Hay House India: www.hayhouse.co.in
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Tricia LaVoice
HAY HOUSE, INC.
Carlsbad, California • New York City
London • Sydney • Johannesburg
Vancouver • Hong Kong • New Delhi
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Copyright © 2012 by Tricia LaVoice
Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.
com® • Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.:
www.hayhouse.com.au • Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay
House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk • Published and distributed in the Republic
of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.za • Distributed in
Canada by: Raincoast: www.raincoast.com • Published in India by: Hay House Pub-
lishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in
Book design: Fabio of Doghaus Designs
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical,
photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor
may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public
or private use—other than for “fair use” as brief quotations embodied in articles and
reviews—without prior written permission of the publisher.
The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of
any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems
without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author
is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional
and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for
yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no
responsibility for your actions.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012948795
ISBN: 978-1-4019-4267-0
Digital ISBN: 978-1-4019-4131-4
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For Aaron
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The Water Bug Story
Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water
bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many
months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of
the pond. They did notice that every once in a while one of their colony
seemed to lose interest in going about with her friends. Clinging to the
stem of a pond lily, she would gradually move out of sight and be seen no
more.
“Look!” said one of the water bugs to another. “One of our colony is
climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you think she’s going?” Up, up, up
she slowly went... As they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight.
Her friends waited and waited, but she didn’t return...
“That’s funny!” said one water bug to another. “Wasn’t she happy here?”
asked a second. “Where do you suppose she went?” wondered a third. No
one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled.
Finally one of the water bugs gathered his friends together. “I have an
idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to
come back and tell us where he or she went and why.” “We promise,” they
said solemnly.
One spring day not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the
plan found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up he went. Before
he knew what was happening, he had broken through the surface of the
water and fallen into the broad and free lily pad above.
When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn’t believe what
he saw. A startling change had come over his old body. His movement
revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as he struggled, he felt
an impulse to move his wings... The warmth of the sun soon dried the
moisture from his new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly
found himself above the water.
He had become a dragonfly.
Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt
exhilarated in the new atmosphere. By and by the new dragonfly landed
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happily on a lily pad to rest. Then he chanced to look below to the bottom
of the pond. Why, he was right above his old friends, the water bugs!
There they were scurrying around, just as he had been doing some time
before.
Then the dragonfly remembered the promise. Without thinking, he darted
down. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now
that he was a dragonfly, he could no longer go into the water.
“I can’t return!” he said in dismay. “At least I tried. But I can’t keep my
promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know
me in my new body. I guess I’ll just have to wait until they become
dragonflies, too. Then they’ll understand what has happened to me and
where I went.”
And the dragonfly winged off happily into his wonderful new world of sun
and air...
(Story courtesy of Healingheart.net)
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