Gifts of Sisterhood: a journey on to your own [Paperback]

Patricia L. Brooks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

We give and receive gifts, but the gifts that keep on giving – Faith, Courage, Love, Friendship, Happiness, Acceptance – to name a few – are the gifts she gave so freely. Too often, it takes a life changing experience to recognize what we already have, affirm what we already know, welcome what is given to us and share it with others. Patricia L. Brooks is a “sibling survivor” of the #2 killer of women today – Cancer. Yet, she has rejoiced in her sister’s memory with this portrait of her sister’s courageous battle with Cancer and preserved her even more important legacy. Through emotional healing for her and her family, Patricia takes us on a journey of love and friendship to a time of grief and pain followed by acceptance while taking her sister’s spirit home to their “roots” in County Tipperary, Ireland. You will learn: How to awaken your compassion when duty callsHow to forgive yourself when facing life’s challengesWhy serious illness offers the opportunity for so many giftsHow to find the hidden gift of hope when placed deep in your heartThe importance of faith and trust that nothing happens in God’s world by mistake or coincidence Patricia reveals her upbeat and insightful personal story of the relationship she had with her youngest sister - her friend, her confidant, her soul mate - both growing up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and living almost 2000 miles apart as adults. Now God has taken her from the journey through grief to a place of inspiration that often accompanies acceptance and adjoins faith by calling her to share her sister’s gifts with you, by embracing her sister’s wit, charm and beauty with you and weaving together a meaningful story of love and courage inspired by real events and ideas you can use and reflect upon as you travel your own life’s journey. Book One in the Gift Series. Patricia donates a portion of the proceeds of this book to the Vital Care Hospice of the Straits serving Mackinac County, Michigan, in memory of her sister.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

 
My sister Roberta died over twelve years ago from lung cancer.  This event changes me every year, both emotionally and spiritually because I look at life with more mindfulness and give myself the freedom for new perspectives. During the years since her death I have become more in touch with my feelings.  I forgive more quickly and I am more grateful.  My faith has risen to a new level, and I am generally at peace with my life.  The loss of my sister was not in vain but an opportunity for growth and to practice the gifts she gave so freely - the gifts presented here in this book.
 
God gave me a gift after her death too in a kind and loving husband.  The kind of person my sister often imagined for me.  I accepted this gift in her honor.  To remember her courage gives me my life back, a life that floundered in disconnected relationships of the past.    I found a true appreciation of forgiveness and gratitude as I passed through my grief.
 
To look back on the six years of this book's journey is a joyful experience.   The reality of how far I have come is apparent to me each day as I reflect on all the experiences. The opportunities with being an author, and the incredible people I meet who believe they are destined to read my story, is heartwarming.  They help me heal even further.  The support I receive from such organizations as the Arizona Lung Association, who promote my book and workshop in their Desert Pathways newsletter, is a testament to the theory a book has a mind of its own.  To all of you I say thank you.
 
Looking back at this book published parallel to my path of grief I am amazed a work written to share my love for my sister speaks to so many about grief.  My sister's been gone many years now, but the message remains the same.  Hold tight to those you love, and remember them always in your heart.
 
It's no longer the pain I had in the beginning, but an ache that is different.  It will be a part of my life forever because it was a traumatic loss. Death of a loved one is one of the most difficult things any of us will face in life; we are forever changed by it.  Being able to share my love for my sister and the pain of her loss in this book is incredibly healing.  It allows me to come to terms with loss in a new phase of my life.  A life that goes on with her still is always on my mind.
 
Knowing others in my grief support family are willing to listen to me and answer the questions I need to ask is helpful.  They allow me to come back to me.  I reciprocate in my heart and by listening to them.  The Journey from Grief to Gratitude workshop (see appendix outline) done with this book, and in her memory, allows me to give back.  Others in need of healing from grief respond and I am at my true center.
 
Because friends and family admit they do not have all the answers during years of sorrow, I choose to face grief courageously but cautiously when it appears. It is a process and one we each take at our own pace and in our own way.  We have help available if we look for it along with others who travel the grief path. We can ask them to join us.   I am a willing student on the subject and thus my Journey from Grief to Gratitude workshop continues to develop.  It is my opportunity to share my story and be of service to those grieving.  It's a vehicle for my own healing while my strengthened faith remains the greatest gift since this loss. My spiritual quest continues to be fed and I now know peace.
 
The honesty of the other authors I read who write on grief give me a new appreciation and enlightenment on the subject.  I am more resilient as time heals wounds.  Although the pain of the loss never completely goes away it does go to a different place and we can go on with our lives.  It is with much gratitude for this knowledge I take my book to a new place too.
 
Many of my friends offer me reassurance, acceptance and caring. These gestures of kindness helped me to write, and later revise for this edition, a book that reveals uncovered depths of my emotional life.  My workshop, with a goal of helping others in grief discover their new being, is a direct response to those who were my first readers.
 
Thank you to all the people who read my book, attend one of my workshops and offer feedback.  Your open and honest sharing of your grief stories gives me even more understanding about my own loss.  Your allowing me to share my feelings is cathartic and a big part of my journey home.
 
The journey from grief to gratitude can be long and very difficult at times, but it is also a path to forgiveness and joy if we are open to the people we meet along the way.  To care about ourselves and others is God's plan for all of us.   Regardless of what challenges are in our path today, growth and awareness can be part of the journey.
 
We eventually realize we are not alone in our grief and that we all grieve in our own ways.  Regardless of how raw we are in the beginning, we come to realize we have to talk about the death of our loved one to heal.  This is how we gain independence from grief.  Writing this book allowed me to talk it out.  The journal pages and questions here should help you to talk it out too.
 
My sister is deep within my heart and soul today.  I do very few things now where I don't ask myself what she would think or say about my decision.  The enormity of anything is paled when we are side-by-side in our hearts with the one who has passed away.  I keep Gifts of Sisterhood close to me for guidance.  It was written for a reason.  There was a plan for the book and it continues to unfold in a beautiful way. Now as an E-book it will be even more beautiful and useful.  It's comforting to me to have her spirit in my life.  She did not die in vain; she just moved me closer to God.
 
 

From the Back Cover

We give and receive gifts, but the gifts that keep on giving - Faith, Courage, Love, Friendship, Happiness and Acceptance - are the gifts her youngest sister gave so freely.  Too often it takes a life changing experience to recognize what we already have, affirm what we already know, welcome what is given to us and share it with others.
 
Patricia is a "sibling survivor" of the #2 killer of women today.  While rejoicing in her sister's memory she preserves her story and important legacy.  Through emotional healing Patricia takes you on a journey of love and friendship, grief and acceptance as she gives her sister's spirit back to their "roots" in County Tipperary, Ireland.
 
You will learn to awaken the compassion within you, forgive yourself when facing life's challenges, find the hidden gift of hope in your life and have faith that nothing happens in God's world by mistake
 
Patricia reveals her upbeat and insightful personal story of the relationship she had with her youngest sister - her friend, her confidante, her soul mate.  Their lives constantly intertwined, both growing up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and living 2,500 miles apart as adults. 
 
Now God takes you on the Journey from Grief to Gratitude to a place of inspiration and acceptance.  The faith Patricia has her sister's life was not in vain calls her to share her gifts with you.  By embracing her sister's wit, charm and beauty she weaves together a meaningful story of love and courage you can reflect upon as you travel your own life's path.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1420818759
• ISBN-13: 978-1420818758
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,738,447 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

As an inspirational speaker/published author, Patricia offers a grief workshop with her book that earned an AZ Authors Association Literary Contest Non-fiction award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warm and Insightful, November 5, 2009

By 

Joanne M. Deck "Author, Worth Waiting For" (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gifts of Sisterhood: a journey on to your own (Paperback)

Patricia shares a warm and insightful look at the life and loss of her sister. Having only brothers myself, I was moved by the wonderful relationship her sisters shared and how the women supported each other and the sister they were losing. Patricia's insights into her personal learning and growth leads us to discover our own lessons as we face loss in our lives. Appropriately, she ends on an upbeat and encouraging note. If you can make it to one of Patricia's workshops, great! If not, be sure to read the book. Read it either way, as its message is sure to stay with you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving and inspiring and beautiful, January 6, 2009

By 

Patricia L. Brooks "Patricia L. Brooks" (Scottsdale, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gifts of Sisterhood: a journey on to your own (Paperback)

This story of a loving and sincere relationship between two sisters is both inspiring and and moving and one to emulate. We move through their lives in a small town in the Mackinac area of Michigan and into the time when they face their biggest challenge - the losss of one to lung cancer. A story too many of us have walked and need to know we have friends there too. The story is inspiring because it lifts you up out of the sadness to the joys of what we have and makes us grateful. It is moving in the final goodbye as the surviving sibling takes her sister's spirit home to Ireland. I recommend this book for the quotes, the journaling questions, the beautiful descriptions of small town life on Lake Michigan and the love of sisters!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sincere Tribute to a Sister, December 26, 2011

By 

Mary C - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gifts of Sisterhood: a journey on to your own (Paperback)

Gifts of Sisterhood by Patricia L. Brooks is a story about the love and the many relationships sisters have with each other. Anyone who has a sister has asked sometime how can we be sisters we are so different. Patricia's book not only acknowledges but celebrates the differences. This book should be read by anyone who has a sister it will remind you to appreciate that special and wonderful relationship.