Now, for the moment you all have been waiting for—our Share Your Heart® essay and poetry contest winners are in. Again, this year, we want to thank EVERY person who submitted a poem or essay. It takes courage to share, and it means so much.
Please remember that this contest was designed to allow children and adults to share their stories. There can be much healing in sharing our stories, even just writing them down. Also, these stories let people living with heart disease or congenital heart disease know they are not alone—there are others who have similar feelings and who have had similar experiences. Whether you are in the winners or not, your story or poem might be exactly what someone needs to read right now.
Winner: Adult 18+
Rick Westfall
February 20th, 2018
“Believe”
The strength God gives me, to take care of my son,
Sometimes feels like a punishment, for all that I have done.
My selfish desires want me to run away,
Rather than deal with watching his pain, every day.
I taught him to be strong, not to complain and have no fear.
While inside my head, I always feel like his end is near.
I can’t just take my life and the easy-way out,
All I can do is hide sometimes, be selfish, and pout.
Do I thank God for all that I am now?
Or do I feel selfish and ask, why me, and how?
I took a knee while writing this to thank God and apologize for feeling weak,
I know what all he has given me, to help with this journey we all seek.
I couldn’t begin to ask God for a better wife, family or friends.
And I did promise him, I would stay strong, until the very end.
I know I am needed and will never leave,
I feel so weak sometimes with self-pity, and just need to believe.
To be continued…
June 20th, 2018
“Strength”
Well my strength kept me going, until the day had come,
God was finally ready for Daniel, to go back home.
I stood strong by my son’s side and watched his last breath,
I stood strong while I had to tell everyone, about his sudden death.
We knew it would come one day, without any doubt,
I stayed strong at his funeral, without anybody seeing me pout.
My daughter was by my side, never shedding a tear,
She was raised also to be strong for Daniel, and never show him any fear.
When everyone went home, and it was now just her and I,
We were able to hold each other and was finally able to cry.
Then we talked and felt so lucky, for everything he had made it through,
Then we realized there was so much more, that we still must do.
We took phone calls, emails and text, trying to think of the right answers to say.
All the strength in the world, never prepared us for this every day.
I lost faith in everything I believed, lost my strength, and felt alone,
But then I remembered, God gave me Daniel, only as a loan.
ILMO Daniel Westfall 10-14-94 CHD Warrior 05-11-18 CHD Angel #RIP412FAN
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