“Sadness and Joy” by Yemii Haastrup

A poetic reflection from Small, Powerful Group member, Yemii, that touches on the intricate balance of emotion we all experience.

Meet Yemii Haastrup: a survivor, creator, and advocate for healing. Embracing life’s full spectrum of highs and lows, Yemii has chosen love as her guiding force. Her journey began at age 8, learning to sew by hand and on her mother’s vintage machine—sparking a lifelong passion for fashion, art, and design. After studying Fashion Design at Kilburn Polytechnic and interning with the legendary Zandra Rhodes, Yemii’s path shifted through various roles, including practice management in law. In 2020, she moved to St. Leonards-on-Sea, founding Stitch TLC, a wellbeing group where creativity and connection help women heal, one stitch at a time.

Sadness and Joy

Pleasure and pain

That is the reality of life we must learn to embrace.

Death brings so much pain of loss

But what did we do with the time we had for pleasure

What memories did we make that we can now treasure

Sadness and joy

Pleasure and pain

This is the reality we can not escape.

Let's make memories of joy and pleasure.

Let's travel through life with faith that gives us HOPE for strength to cope.

Let love be our friend, our rock and anchor.

When death comes along, we mourn, we grief, but then we have memories of joy and pleasure.

Through pain I relive the joy of sharing some time in life with you my dears, a time I treasure.

Sadness and joy

Pleasure and pain,

Let's make memories to treasure and live life over and over again.

8/6/2024

“In memory of all my dear ones gone, but still here with me.”