Candlelight Vigil

Last evening, my sister-in-law Kala and I attended a beautiful Candlelight Vigil in the nearby city of Rocky Mount, North Carolina (I actually lived there at one point for a brief time). It was in recognition of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, which isn't technically until October. The event was Nash Health Care's Annual Walk of Remembrance for Steps Never Taken.

I had heard of this group before because they usually put on a Memorial Walk, but this year had a Candlelight Vigil in lieu of the Walk. Since I am already planning on attending a Walk in Raleigh next month, I was really hoping to have something like this to go to. I am glad Kala wanted to come with me. We even took time beforehand to drive by my old house and then ate dinner at a cute shiny diner!

Kala and I both agree that there is something special about a Candelight Vigil... it is sacred and intimate, all the families gathered together to remember and honor our loved and missed babies. I don't know those people or their stories, but it was an honor to hear the names of their babies and to celebrate them all together. 💕

Here are Kala and I with our candles. I wore my Lily's handprint necklace and my "Held Your Whole Life" shirt (I meant to get a better picture).

They had special bags for luminaries that we were able to decorate ourselves... Kala and I each made one for Lily and then I made one as well for my Aunt Rachel. We were given the bags to take home with us as a keepsake, along with the sand and "candles" inside.

I loved all the purple and white decorations! Everything was beautifully put-together and thought-out.

Kala and I also wrote on the back of our bags

The luminaries for all our precious babies

the location was peaceful

We wrote our babies names in a book to be read aloud during the Vigil. As each baby's name was spoken, their family would come up and have their candle lit. It was touching.

Mine and Kala's candles lit 

A young woman sang a couple songs. She has a beautiful voice and I told her how much I appreciated her being there. Having live music made the event that much more special.

This video is a little snippet of one of the songs she sang.

As it grew darker, the luminaries looked prettier. This was a photo Kala took on the car-ride home.

I'm glad to have the luminaries to hang on to as a keepsake, as well as the program from the event. It was a special evening for Lily. I also found out it was National Daughters Day, which was quite appropriate. :) Thank the Lord the rain held off.

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