October 15th 2013 Remembrance Celebration
Thank you to everyone who came along to share a moving, emotional, deeply connecting and healing evening with us.
It was a stunningly beautiful evening when we gathered together to celebrate our little ones, they certainly painted the colours in the sunset for us as they watched us gather.
Everyone was offered a candle holder to light for their loved one later in the evening.
The alter was just as I had imagined it in my visioning for how the evening could be as beautiful, heartful and spiritful for our little ones and their dear families and friends.
Our babies were remembered first by writing their names on a leaf and attaching it to the tree of light.
We shared poetry readings, listened to music, our babies names were spoken into the elevated atmosphere in the room, I could feel their presence as their Mummies and Daddies, Brothers and Sisters, family and friends honoured them.
We lit our candles ready to begin our procession outside.
The air was crisp and the night was still. The stars shone as we walked and we listened to the etherial voices of the wonderful harmony singers that accompanied us on our journey to the Venus & Cupid Statue.
When we felt ready we returned to share coffee and chocolates in the warmth and comfort of the Golf Club.
I had the great privilege of hearing some deeply personal and touching stories of many babies gone too soon. One who was named for the first time on this special night, his birthday, 49 years ago,
'baby Bruno' we celebrated your birthday little one.
We definitely shared a very special night.
We thank everyone who came along, took part, helped out, encouraged and supported.
And we hope to see you again in 2014 for another celebration.
Love and blessings
Val
x x x
Here is the letter I received from Bruno's Mother, Jenny, she is happy for me to share it with you. It is testament to how valuable a ceremony like this can be. Sharing our common experience, bringing comfort, releasing our emotions, validating our little ones and promoting healing.
Thank you Jenny for sharing your precious Bruno's story with us.
x x x x x
On the evening of October 15th, I went to Val’s Tigerlily Trust Remembrance Day ceremony.
The weather was beautiful, mild, clear and calm with a glowing sunset. It turned out to be quite unexpectedly an amazing and emotional experience for me. We gathered to sit before a long altar with candles, lilies and a little silver tree, all beautifully arranged. I read the programme and on the front it mentioned that anyone could add their baby’s name to the list to be read out, and to go on to a leaf on the little tree.
I suddenly realised that the baby I had lost 49 years ago had never, ever had a name. He was born at five and a half months into my pregnancy, and the hospital policy in Lancaster was to remove ‘it’ and to say nothing. I remember feeling so lucky that I had two little girls ages 2 and 3 to go home to, and I focused all my attention on them and never really grieved for the baby that died.
So, I urgently needed a name for him and searched hurriedly through all the boys’ names that I could think of: none seemed right until ‘Bruno’ surfaced. Where did that come from? Later, I realised that my Dad, who died in 1979 must have been around – one of his favourite conductors was Bruno Walter (pronounced Valter as he was German). As my surname was Walter it seemed to fit, and it felt right to me. With the name Bruno came an image of a smiling baby wrapped in a blue shawl.
I asked Jean if his name could be added to the list, and she managed it just before Val’s introduction, so that, after all the readings, Debra read out his name at the very end. Val’s words, the poems, and the long list of babies names, each one meaning so much pain and loss, so many tears, such heartache, meant that I could fully feel my loss too. So thank you Val, and heartfelt thanks to our divine light being Lily, whose light is reaching out to more and more of us. Bruno became, through that time of shared grief and sadness and so much love, a real presence for me, my long lost baby, with me at last after so many years.
Later, as we gathered around the sculpture of the winged mother and child, with candlelight and moonlight, I was able at last to cry for him on my dear friend Val's shoulder. It was the very same day – October 15th – that he was born, all those years ago. I’m so very grateful to Val for creating this beautiful ceremony with so much loving care, so much courage and hard work, bringing us all together with our little ones for the comfort of knowing that our feelings are shared.
x x x x x
Remembrance Celebration
Venus and Cupid
Tuesday 15th October 2013
Venus and Cupid Statue, Morecambe.
Hello everyone, we have a date for your diary! We are going to hold a Remembrance Celebration on Tuesday October 15th 2013 at the Venus and Cupid statue on Morecambe Prom, please meet at Morecambe Golf Club just across the road, we will be starting the evening there. This is a special date, it's International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, and at 7pm we will light candles and be part of the global wave of light around the world! It will be an evening of remembering and honouring our babies, sharing and connecting with those who have travelled this path and those who helped us to travel it, a beautiful celebration of our loved ones, our families and friends. There will be music, poetry, readings and the chance to take part in a lantern release in memory of your loved one/s, weather permitting!
We will have tea and coffee available afterwards and a chance for sharing.
If you think you would like to come along, please
join our event on Facebook, this will help us in planning the event. We are asking for a small donation per person just to cover the cost of the venue and putting on the celebration, £3.
Thank you, love and light, Val xx
For more information please call 015395 33872