Shirley Enebrad

Author, Speaker & Grief Counselor

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Life is a Gift

Life is a Gift

October 27, 2013 by Shirley Enebrad Leave a Comment

In one eight hour shift I learned that my supervisor’s aunty had passed away, my co-worker who is in Florida on vacation got the horrible news that her mother had crossed over the rainbow bridge in her sleep and that a 25 year-old musician who was part of a popular local band had died too. No explanation yet on what happened to him but he was just 25 years old…life is a gift.

My heart aches for the loved ones of my supervisor’s aunty, of the young man who should have had many more years of making beautiful music and living life here in paradise…and for those who loved my friend’s mom. My friend said that to her knowledge her mother hadn’t been feeling poorly and hadn’t even been sick at all for as far back as she could remember. It was a total shock. Life is a gift and it is random too.

When someone dies unexpectedly it reminds us not to take life or relationships for granted. One of my favorite lessons around this issue came like most of mine, through my little boy Cory. He was eight years old at the time of this particular gem. We had been asked to speak at an alternative school. The administration had gathered all of the middle and high school students and teachers. I believe there were some parents present too. Cory described what it was like to live with leukemia most of his life and how the treatments made him sick but were designed to kill off the evil cancer cells. You could have heard a pin drop.

After we spoke we called for questions. An older teen raised his hand and asked Cory, “How does it feel to know that you are dying?” At this point Cory had not been diagnosed as terminal but he did know his fate. Cory didn’t hesitate or take the time to bat an eyelash when he replied, “The real question is how do YOU feel about living?” The teen sat there frozen unable to speak. Cory went on. “We’re all going to die someday so it isn’t about dying it is about how you live your life. Don’t let little stuff get you down like getting cut off on the freeway or someone bugging you. Just live the best life you can. Be kind and forgiving and you won’t die with regrets. I know I am gong to die soon and I have had a good life. No regrets.”

As you might imagine there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Rows of students and a goodly number of adults were all wiping their eyes as the lesson sank in. They learned a powerful lesson about living given by an intuitive soon to be declared terminally ill kid who recognized that every moment is precious and should be spent with gratitude imparting goodness and light. He was my kid, my child, a very wise little soul sent to teach me and others that life is indeed a gift. Don’t squander it.

Shirley

 

 

Life and Living

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Reviews & Testimonials

The greatest gift I received from reading “Over the Rainbow Bridge” is a comforting peace about death and dying. Death is not an ending, but the beginning of a new phase. Powerful. Thanks Cory for your wisdom.Through the life of this 9 year old boy, I learned more insights about heaven and the afterlife than I ever learned by attending church. I don’t know who I’m more impressed with—Cory, a young man who even in death was the most positive, inspirational person I never met; or his mother Shirley who had the courage to really list… Read more
Shelly Heesacker, Freelance TV Field Producer for ‘Oprah’ and ‘The Dr. Phil Show’
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Books are often described as good, exciting, motivational, or inspirational. Rarely do you find one that is truly life transforming. ‘Over the Rainbow Bridge’ is just such a book. It is absolutely miraculous the impact the story of this little nine your old child had on my perception of life, death, and God. My life has been inspired and enhanced by Cory’s story. If you are depressed for any reason, you will have a change of heart and mind after reading how Cory dealt with every day life in the short time he was here on earth. I can hardl… Read more
Carrie D. Hewitt, Newly Encouraged Mother of Four
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Over the Rainbow Bridge is an intelligent and emotional book that exhibits an unforgettable life and death of a child wise beyond his young years. You don’t have to be grieving to get Cory’s life lessons.
Karen Minton, MA, CAN, Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, Maine
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Cory was my favorite patient ever and he taught me more than I could ever teach him. His lessons about Summerland (the afterlife) were profound and his drawings of what he saw ‘Over the Rainbow Bridge’ helped thousands of people get in touch with their long-buried emotions.
Dr. Elisabeth Kubler Ross, Famed researcher & author of 16 books ‘On Death and Dying’
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I just have to tell you that your book has become a part of me.  I have milked it by only reading it when I was alone and quiet.  I feel I know little Cory now.  It has been a privilege getting to know his sweet spirit.  Thank you so much for sharing a small part of him with me.  I would love to see the video that was made.  Bless your heart for the pure love and strength that you instilled in your sweet baby.  Cory is a true gift to all who get to share his story.
Pamala Butler Iacovitti, Wichita Falls, Texas (after reading Over the Rainbow Bridge)
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Shirley, I can’t tell you how much your book touched my life. Your son was an amazing boy-such an upbeat, inspiring, beautiful little boy… although I cried, I also celebrated the person he was. And your writing made me feel like I was a part of your life with your son, instead of just reading about it. Images came to mind. Like when you had to walk that long distance to the hospital with your son in your arms after your car broke down. There were so many others… and the laughs I had with the ghosts!  The feelings I experienced while reading –I … Read more
Lisa Salvati, TV News Reporter, New York (after reading Over the Rainbow Bridge)
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This book on coping is such a gift. It’s a quick, concise read that any busy, grief stricken person can benefit from. Knowing that the writer has experienced grief is powerful, she has walked down the lonely, painful journey herself. Thank you for this book as we grieve the loss of my beautiful mother-in-law!
Joanie Raaum (after reading Six-Word Lessons on Coping with Grief)
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I loved this very human and touching story of a family’s journey with a terminally ill child. Although it was sad, it was also courageous and funny. It was far more about living than about dying, and offers a positive example for all of us to value each day. The messages about life beyond death’s door are intriguing, uplifting, and very believable. Thank you for a beautiful read.
Marcia Shaver (after reading Over the Rainbow Bridge)
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The written word can be very powerful and moving, and every so often there is a book that can truly change lives; Over the Rainbow Bridge is that important. It is a true account of a heroic child’s mission in his short life to teach us about love and life, that one and both are the same: eternal. In our culture, where death is almost a taboo subject, Over the Rainbow Bridge will help us confront our fears and embrace life in a “down to earth” way. It is accessible, a comfort to read, as if being embraced by an old friend.
Gei Chan, well-read Artist & Designer
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Although I haven’t experienced too much loss, this short, to-the-point book gave me a wealth of very important information on how to help others cope with grief, and how to know what to expect when it happens to me. I learned about things to say and not to say to those grieving, and how important it is to let yourself go through the process when you experience loss. The author knows what she is talking about, as she has experienced extensive loss herself. Concise and helpful tips!
P. Pacelli, Sammamish, WA (after reading Six-Word Lessons on Coping with Grief)
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