Hugs from Harper

01/24/2024

I believe they do this at Atlantic Baking Co in Rockland, except they call it “suspended coffee”.. if you stop by there, buy a “hanging coffee” or a “suspended coffee” for someone. 🖤

There is a little coffee shop, where two people arrive and approached the counter.
“Five coffees ☕️please. Two for us and three hanging.”
They paid, they took their two coffees and left.
I asked the waiter. "What’s this about hanging coffees?"
“Wait and you'll see."
Some more people came in.
Two girls asked for a coffee each, they paid & left.
The following order was for seven coffees and it was made by three women - ‘three for them and four hanging coffees.’
I was left wondering...what is the meaning of the hanging coffees, they leave.
Then, a man dressed in worn clothes, who looks like he might be homeless, arrives at the counter and asks sincerely...
“Do you have a coffee hanging?"
“Yes we do, sir.”
They serve him a coffee.... I got my answer.
People pay in advance for a coffee that will be served to whoever can't afford a hot drink.
This tradition started in Naples.
Amazingly, it has spread throughout the world’s cities and towns.
It’s also possible to order not only "hanging coffees" but also a sandwich or a full low cost meal.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all start doing this in the cities and towns where we live?
Small kindnesses like this can impact so many lives, in ways we could never imagine.
Maybe we should all try it.😊❤️🌹

01/03/2024

Good morning and welcome, everyone.
Thank you for giving my page a "like + follow"

This Saturday, January 6, 2024, my sweet girl would be turning 8 years old! I truly don't know where this time has gone. The ache is still here as strong as ever, but it is seemingly easier to live with every day. I don't think your life ever really goes back to the way it was before, when your child dies. It's like a harsh split between two-lives, the life before your child died and the life after. These last 8 years were filled with some of my worst days and darkest nights. I've even had people try to use them against me.
Those days are behind me now, though. I can take a deep breath without pain in my chest and I can say I have found my way to a journey of healing... even if I am still learning.. because you never stop learning or growing when you embrace what it truly means to grieve the loss of your child.
This year, like years passed, I want to ask all of my friends, family, community members, and strangers... please do something kind for someone in memory of Harper.
It doesn't have to be over the top. Hold the door for someone, make someone feel nice by complimenting them... if you can afford it, buy someone's coffee, donate to a good cause.
Just do something for someone, just because, and with no strings attached.

Last year for Harper's birthday, I gifted a family I met in a Little Sleepies group a pair of their pajamas. LS is one of my absolute favorite children's clothing brands and I wanted to share them with a family who also loved them but had hit hard times and couldn't afford a pair at the moment. They picked out the ones they wanted, gave me a mailing address, and I shipped them directly to them.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do this year, but I look forward to seeing what everyone else does.

If you participate, PLEASE send me a message so I can share on my page. I won't include names, but I will share pictures if you send any - unless you request me to not share the image and to just keep it private. You can also use the hashtag on your personal page, but depending on your privacy settings, I may not be able to see it!

Thank you! Now go do something kind and be sure to invite your friends to join!!