Healing Candles.

Last night, we held our 20th Annual Candle Light Memorial Service for Grieving Parents. These families, so heartbroken, so vulnerable, come out each year to remember their tiny babies who died during pregnancy or anytime after birth, and/or their precious children, who have died at any age, for any reason. A club no one wants to join but here we are, lost and confused, but others reach out and suddenly a community is new but supportive and caring. Our losses define us. The pain is unique and  overwhelming. But Love connects us. We gather together to remember and heal.

I wish every year that we would set up for the service, open the doors and no one would come. No on would come because their baby or the child had not died. But the reality is that every year, we see more and more families and it breaks my heart knowing the pain that will follow these families for the rest of their lives. We can't take that pain away, but we can give them tools, resources and love to help them navigate their own journey. It has saved us ~ from being the newly bereaved parents on the block to the supporters, the mentors, the inspiration makers. As we were once helped, now we help those who can't ever imagine feeling whole again. It does happen, in time, with support. And when it does, we still remember, we never forget but we learn to breathe once again. It's almost magical.

~ Chy