Cindy Harris | Paul C Harris

Worldwide Candle Lighting 2008

The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting®, held annually the second Sunday in December, this year December 14, unites family and friends around the globe as they light candles for one hour to honor and remember children who have died at any age from any cause. As candles are lit at 7 p.m. local time, creating a virtual wave of light, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor the memories of children in a way that transcends all ethnic, cultural, religious, and political boundaries.

Now believed to be the largest mass candle lighting on the globe, the Worldwide Candle Lighting, a gift from TCF to the bereavement community, creates a virtual 24-hour wave of light as it moves from time zone to time zone. Hundreds of formal candle lighting events are held and thousands of informal candle lightings are conducted in homes as families gather in quiet remembrance of children who have died, but will never be forgotten.

The Worldwide Candle Lighting started in the United States in 1997 as a small Internet observance but has since swelled in numbers as word has spread throughout the world of the remembrance.

Please join us on Sunday as we remember Paul and all children who have died. We ask for prayers for those who have lost children of any age, for Paul\’s friends, and all of our family. While it has only been 2 years since Paul died, this is our 3rd Christmas season without him. We miss him with all of our hearts and think of him constantly.

Pass it on if you would like.

Thank you and God bless you.

Love,
Cindy

Remembering

This week has in some ways been harder than I thought it would be, but then again I should have expected the emotional waves to run high again, shouldn\’t I? The past two years I have pictured myself watching the waves of emotion, waiting and ready with my “body board”. I sometimes see the waves growing huge, coming at me like the great waves on the North Shore in Hawaii. I must jump on my body board and ride the waves, holding on and allowing the healing water to flow over me. If I don’t go for the ride, then I will get caught in the rip current of emotion and be pulled under.

Today was the two year anniversary of Paul’s passing. The waves of emotion were strong again, but we chose to ride them as a family honoring Paul’s memory and rejoicing in the blessings we have been given. We started early this morning by volunteering at the Southeastern Virginia Food Bank. We all went: Hillary, Jeff, Emily, Matt, Chuck and me. We worked hard…for others in memory of Paul. Hillary baked a ton of cookies this afternoon and I organized things for the evening picnic at the beach. Jeff, Matt, Emily, and Chuck worked at the soccer field cleaning up around the Paul Harris memorial, putting down fresh top soil and mulch.

Tonight we enjoyed the 2nd annual memorial picnic at the beach. The winds were too strong to have a candlelight time, but we celebrated Paul’s life with some of his favorite things: family, faithful friends, beautiful evening skies, the roar of the ocean, music, and tons of yummy food! About 50 people joined us sharing stories and memories of Paul, laughing and savoring each other’s companionship. We supported one another on a tough day. We loved each other and shared support as we each rode our own waves of emotion.

Tomorrow we will go to the cemetery and see the monument which was put into place on Thursday. It is another piece that is finished.

It is truly all about God’s mercy and grace shining through the darkness of sorrow. I could feel His presence as I watched the clouds racing by in the strong winds, as I listened to the laughter and chatter of friends and family, and as we prayed for our son whom we miss so much. I miss him so…always, but I am blessed. God has allowed me to see the stars shining in the darkness.

Cindy
In honor of my amazing family
In loving memory of Paul