Introduction to the Michelle Joy Teigrob Blog Series

This is an invitation for you to begin receiving my weekly blog posts about coping with loss and trials.

I promise I have no intention of trying to sell you something or to sway you to a certain perspective.

I honestly just want to share my story, in hopes that it may, in some small way, be an encouragement and comfort to someone. I want to offer the same comfort and hope that I have received.

My first experience with the death of a loved one happened when I was twenty-one years old. My twin, Maria, the closest person on earth to me, was killed instantly in a car accident. That shocking loss left me reeling for years. Death then touched our family again; my two other sisters, Esther and Patricia, also passed away, both from cancer. In addition, I have been brought to my knees by other losses and trials that I never expected to be so terrible.

I will be sharing my story by using a symbolic picture of a dung beetle.

Did you know that the dung beetle navigates by the stars? I was thoroughly entranced when I first learned this random fact years ago.

What a wonderfully symbolic picture, I thought: the wee, little bug ploughing his way through that stinky mess, yet with his radar tuned to the heavens!

Then one day, I was thinking again of that little poop-tourist, and this question came to me: Why is the beetle still climbing through the dung heap? He’s got the stars to guide him! Why doesn’t he use those stars to climb his way right out of the squelch and putrid odours onto lovely, cool, sweet-smelling grass? I had to find out. So, I dug up the facts.

Well, I found some good news—and a life lesson. The good news is that most dung beetles do, in fact, use the stars to navigate away from the dung pile. Although there are a few lazy ones, most of them don’t retire in that filth.

And the life lesson? Before leaving the pile, the beetles make themselves a little ball of that same dung to take with them. Then, while they are on their travels led by the Milky Way, they munch away on their little dung truffles and so, stay alive.

It struck me how perfectly fitting the dung beetle can be as an image of how to cope with life’s trials, the dung heaps. While the glittering stars help him find his way along, the dung bits keep the little bug nourished.

In this blog series, I will be sharing some of the promises and truths that have meant the most to me in my times of grief and trials. I share stories about my experiences with heartache and how those truths helped. I am calling these promises and truths "bright stars of promise."

I will also be sharing some small, simple steps or actions that I have found help me get through. I call these my "dung truffles of resistance."

Each blog post will be quite short, about 200-400 words. Each one will focus on one bright star of promise or one small step that has helped me.

If you wish to receive these short blog posts, please enter your email address in the box below. Or, you can just send me an email with the subject line "Yes." Send it to awakehopetoday@gmail.com.

I have been praying for those who will read these articles. I pray so much that you will receive comfort and encouragement. I pray you realize that you are not alone and that there is hope.

And if you think this series could help someone else, please send it along to them too.

Blessings,

Michelle