Even though it is the first time we ever had snow for our Memorial service, it actually was a beautiful night to walk up to the TLC burial plot. The snow had stopped. The wind was almost non existence, so it was balmy, but not real cold. We all had our solar lights to light the way. As always no matter how bad the weather might be during the day, it stops for our trip up the hill. I know it is our Angel Babies looking out for us. Every evening when it becomes dark out, and your light turns on, you can say a small prayer for the baby(s) who is no longer with you. Light in our Grief! A quiet reflection on our sorrow, but knowing brighter things are in the future. Lucy (FYI: the solar lights have a rechargeable battery in them, so if yours stops working, it may need to be charged again, or replaced.)
Light In Our Grief: Reflections for our service by Lucy
Lord make me an instrument of your peace! Where there is hatred, let me sow Love--- Where there is injury, Pardon---Where there is despair, Hope--- and where there is darkness, Light!
That is what we are going to talk about tonight: Light in our grief. At the time of your loss, everything seemed so dark—the room was dark, your thoughts were dark, your heart felt so dark and heavy, and your happiness and peace were so dark. However there is light at the end of the tunnel. You will again want to see the sunshine outside your window. Your thoughts will turn to more pleasant feelings. Your heart will not feel so heavy. You will again have peace and happiness. I can not tell you when all this will happen. For some people the light comes quickly. They can see what they have and their faith tells them that their baby is whole and complete in heaven, and has the love of our Lord surrounding them. Other people can’t see the light so quickly--- they don’t want their baby in God’s loving hands and can not accept the fact that their baby will not be with them in this life. It is too painful to think of their baby being gone. So it takes longer for them to see the light. We can not give a time to grief. It would be great if we could just wish Grief away. However, we were not made that way. We need to feel the anger, the anguish, the hurt and pain. That is how we get through to the next stage. That is how we start to heal. That is how the light begins to shine again. As we start feeling our sorrow melt away, and happiness returns, we can start feeling the Realms of purer light. There are so many songs and poems that reflect our sorrow and show how the light of the world changes our sorrow to joy and happiness again. Songs such as Awake! Awake and Greet the new Morn! Gather us in: Here in this place a new light is streaming, Kindle a flame to lighten the darkness, and I want to Walk as a child of the light, and finally, This little light of mine, I’m going to let it Shine! As we honor all our babies that have died over the past year or many years ago, we hope that you will begin to see the new light. Honoring our babies a couple times of the year is very important. They are still in our hearts and we want to remember them. As we gather in this place tonight, surrounded by our loved ones and people who have all been part of the loss of a baby, remember a new light is shining!
From the darkness of the night—into the light of day, His constant Love—will comfort and surround you—THIS I Pray!
Absence OF Light by Joi Till
WE shouldn’t necessarily be afraid of the Dark---
More the Absence of Light
You see in darkness there can still be hope---faith
A little light
But when there is no Light, faith and hope do not dwell were there is no home for
Them
We choose to let go of faith and hope
When we let go of the light for fear of what seems like overwhelming darkness
All you need is a little light
They say if you have faith the size of a mustard seed then you can make it
If you have light the same size in “overwhelming” darkness, you have faith and hope
For that seed size light, is their home
All you need is a little light
I choose not to let go of my light no matter how dark it gets around me
I choose not to let go of my faith no matter how hard it gets around me
I choose not to let go of my hope no matter how hopeless it gets around me
All you need is a little light
We shouldn’t be afraid of the Dark---
More the abscense of light
All you need is a little light
Up at the cemetery this small poem seemed to say it all—by Sri Chinmoy
Illumining Light
There the sun shines not, nor the moon and the stars,
Nor the lightning, let alone this early fire.
Only when illumining Light shines;
The self revealing Light illumines the entire universe.
The outer sun asks us to see, and when we look around we see all darkness.
The inner sun makes us see what we eternally are: the Light Infinite.
We have been very busy on the Birth Center, so this Newsletter is a little late. However, if the next one is a little late, I might miss the Thanksgiving Holiday. I just want to remind our TLC parents when it comes to the Holidays, be selfish if you want and do what you feel like doing, not what your family wants. If you can’t handle a big Thanksgiving get together, than make your excuses, and just tell your family you can’t do it this year. If you decide to go to the family gathering and find it is too hard on you, than just let your family know that you need to leave. You are just not ready for it. The light will shine again and by the next year you might be more than ready for the fun of a big family gathering.