After Losing Husband of 42 Years, Resident Uses Art, Writing to Heal

Everyday Inspirations is a series that features people in Patch communities who inspire others through their work, or people who have faced extraordinary situations and grown from them. They have been featured by other people in the community that have been inspired by the nominees.

Name: Laurel D. Rund
Town: Bradenton, FL

Why is this person an "Everyday Inspiration?" 
When you experience a loss of any kind, there are rivers and canyons of grief which cannot be crossed without a bridge. On that journey one needs a way through sorrow’s rough terrain to the other side of grief, to a place of renewal and healing.

That is what my book "Emerging Voices" is intended to be: a bridge to Living On!
Its purpose is to inspire healing, hope and to reaffirm life. The words and art within "Emerging Voices" will help heal your heart. 

Has the nominee's life been changed in an extraordinary way? 

It began in 2009 when a life-changing event transformed me into the woman I am today. Never could I have imagined that the death of my husband of 42 years would take me on a journey through loss and grief to a redefined sense of self.

Death, an unexpected teacher, was my transformative metamorphosis. The slow and painful healing process unfolded my creativity and, in what I can only describe as a “new normal,” Essence of Laurel was born. My creative spirit emerged and death became my teacher.

“Art from the Heart” has become my playground; a place where I can tap into my innermost creativity as an inspirational writer and artist. The surprise is that it came at a time when I thought that the next chapters in my life would be lonely; without purpose or passion. Instead I have been given the gift of a renewed sense of life, its possibilities and most importantly, an appreciation for living in the present moment.

How does this person work to make others' lives better?

Our human experience, whether in a crisis or a life transition, continuously gives us the opportunity to learn and grow. We can choose to stay in a place of sorrow and regret, or embrace these life-altering experiences from which we can discover a new way of being.

My art and writing is a testimony as to what can happen when we acknowledge grief in all its forms. Sharing is a way for me to celebrate the human spirit!