Candle lighting

Last Sunday I attended a candle lighting service in honor of Jeffrey. It was awkward, unpleasant, uncomfortable, yet well put together and healing. They had a tree and some silver ornaments that each parent who lost a child could write their child's name on and hang it. They had some nice music and a speaker from hospice, who knew he was at a loss for any possible thing he could say to any one of us. They had a time for the parents to come up and light a candle in honor of their child and say a few words if they wanted. And then some cookies and coffee and a time to write a message on some balloons which we then released. It was nice to be able to feel like I was doing something to include him in the holidays. I've been so busy, which makes it easier to get through, but in that quiet time of reflection, I realized I wasn't quite as "okay" as I thought I was when I first walked in. But, I had just read this and found it very fitting for my take on the evening. "Each time you lift a weight, you actually create a tear in the muscle. When your body repairs that tear, it makes you stronger. Over time your endurance increases and you can lift more weight. God has made us emotionally in much the same way."~ Holly Gerth