Make A Difference Minute: Learning to Carry the Pebble

On this Make a Difference Minute, I have my friend, Fran Birdwell, who is living with stage 4 colon cancer while also carrying the profound grief of losing two sons, Jacob and Matthew.
Rather than trying to “get over” grief, Fran has learned that grief becomes something we carry. Drawing from a poem by Jessica Watson, she shares the powerful image of grief as a pebble. It is something we never fully put down, but over time we learn how to carry it without allowing it to consume us or steal our purpose.
Because grief touches every life, Fran believes this message extends far beyond grieving parents. Whether we have lost a child, a spouse, a parent, a friend, or dreams we once held dear, we all face loss. The challenge isn’t to forget or move on, but to keep living, loving, and finding meaning while carrying what remains.
Through unimaginable pain, Fran’s life is a testament to hope, resilience, & the truth that grief and purpose can exist side by side.
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