Will you light a candle?
memorial candle at the Air Force Academy Chapel
In 1988, former president Ronald Reagan proclaimed the month of October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. On October 15th, candle lighting ceremonies will be held throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan in memory of the babies lost. If you light a candle from 7pm to 8pm, you will be a part of this continuous wave of light. For the folks out here in Oahu, the ceremony will be held on the grounds of the State Capitol and we will be gathering there at 6:30pm. For a complete list of event sites and for more information about Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, visit Remembering Our Babies, the official October 15th site.
Although I have not personally gone through such a loss, I have spent countless hours with those who have. Though some people are lucky enough to have a great support system in their families and friends, I have seen many who suffer alone and are at a complete loss when this occurs. October 15th is a day not only for these families to provide support for each other, but for the community to acknowledge their loss and let them know that though their babies lives were brief, they were still very meaningful.
