Remember a Loved One: Light a Candle
People grieve in different ways. As such, Valley of Life hopes to offer a diverse set of resources to help people healthily move through their grief. Consequently, with the holidays still lingering for a few more days, we wanted to share another method of remembering loved ones: lighting a candle.
The major holidays, especially the New Year, is a time when families and friends feel its most appropriate to remember their loved one through the lighting of a candle. This particular method is popular among parents who have lost children, though it is certainly not limited to only honoring the loss of a child.
Quite simply, at a designated point in time, light a special candle in honor of a loved one lost. Some people let the candle burn its course, serving as a reminder of life every time they see the flame throughout the day or night. Still, others perform an informal ceremony, sometimes saying a few words, reciting a poem, or simply remembering their loved one’s life in silence for a time. Typically, afterwards, they extinguish the flame, softly saying the name of their loved one, “I love you,” or whatever comes naturally.
If you’re struggling through the loss of a friend or family member this New Year, try lighting a candle in his or her memory. Include others in the process, and let the flame remind you of the light your loved one brought, and still brings, to the world.
[photo: pratanti]
Tags: holiday grief support, light a candle, New Year, Remember a Loved One