Thru their Eyes…From their Heart
Years ago, I came across an organization that struck me by its name, “Thru my Eyes”. A funeral which we handled requested memorial donations be sent to this charity and thus I became acquainted with their mission. The organization was born out of a sad circumstance. A young mother on the brink of an untimely passing, desperately sought a way to leave a priceless gift to her young daughter. She wished for her daughter to have a video that she could watch and hear bouts of wisdom imparted from her mother. The value of the gift would grow far greater as the years went on. This young mother summoned the courage to record her life story as well as the wishes she held for her daughter, with the help of a dedicated and loving friend.
I connected with that friend, an amazing woman, named Carrie Rubinstein. I extended several invitations for her to appear on the radio as I felt this was a message that begged to be shared. What better gift to leave behind to your loved ones than that of your voice? Often when we lose someone we find ourselves replaying old voice messages or calling their phone to hear their voicemail message. We long to hear their voice when we can no longer see them.
Thru My Eyes is a non-profit organization that allows the story of one’s life to be told. A person faced with a terminal illness can sit down with a psychologist, a hair and makeup artist, a videographer, and a woman who’s heart stretches beyond her body, Carrie Rubinstein. The process is emotionally challenging, but the results are overwhelming. The video will begin telling a person’s story; where they were born, their upbringing, their roots. The video also incorporates photos, which tell a story in their own right. Finally, the video allows a person to leave behind messages of hope, encouragement and love to the ones they are leaving behind. Their words, their voice, their love is left behind as a most treasured keepsake. Again, a gift that is truly priceless.
Carrie Rubinstein has recently expanded the scope of “Thru my Eyes” so that a video can be made by anyone, not only those facing terminal illness. She has expanded her mission as she recognizes that all of us have stories to tell and more importantly, people who want to hear them. I would encourage everyone to view her website to learn more, thrumyeyes.org