Walking to remember those that will not be forgotten
By Jennifer Kneuss
October 18, 2011
284
Summary: There were many tears reflecting the light of the candles held by those in the annual Walk to Remember on Oct. 18. The event has grown every year, as more and more people come together to help each other through their grief.
Candles flickered through the night as 150 individuals of all ages silently walked from the Toland-Herzig Funeral Home in Dover to the gazebo area of Warthers Museum. Those attending the Oct.18 Walk to Remember event were walking in memory of lost children and other loved ones.
Some of you I have seen for years, and others are new faces here this evening. I hope that in this evening you will find comfort and healing as we remember those who were so important to us. The Walk to Remember was started as a result of October being National Pregnancy Loss month, said John Herzig as he addressed those gathered for the Walk.
Wilma Mast, coordinator of the Grief Share program at NewPointe Church, also spoke.
Nearly ten years ago, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, 4 ½ months early. He never took a single breath, but he changed my life. I firmly believe that God did not design any of us to grieve alone, and that is why we are here tonight. That is also one of the reasons we offer Grief Share at our Dover location, and also our Canton location, explained Mast. We are not meant to do this alone.
A prayer for those in attendance was led by pastor Dwight Mason.
God, we thank You that You never miss a moment of our lives. There is not a tear that has fallen on a cheek here tonight that You have not captured, or that You did not see. You fully understand our pain, our loss, our questions, our hurt, our anger. As we take this walk in a few moments, may we realize that You have walked with us as well, though maybe we did not hear You, may we realize that Youve never been absent, and Youve always been there, and that You care deeply, prayed Mason. So we thank You, God, for Your love for us, and we thank You for the comfort that You offer to us here in these moments that are painful, hurtful, and just flat out tough. So thanks, God, for walking with us.
The pastor spoke of the Biblical story of David, who had lost both his grown son, Absalom, as well as an infant son. He challenged those gathered to follow the lead of David, who, in spite of his losses, stood up and went forward with his life.
David realized what he had left, and who he had left. He recognized that although he had experienced the tragic loss of loved ones, that he had other family around him, and that he needed to focus on them, comfort them, love them, and support them as well, because they also had experienced a loss. David refocused back to God. He realized that if he was to be able to continue to do life, and continue to live, that he needed help. He needed strength that was above his own ability. Scripture says that he looked to God. He said, I cannot have him back, but I can go to where he is. Here is a man who had a heart after God, yet he experienced the tragedy of losing his sons. We live in a world where we experience heartache, and we experience loss, but God understands that, and God knows, and God loves you. David wrote, God is close to the brokenhearted, and the crushed in spirit. He spoke that out of reality. He knew what it was like to lose a son who had all of life ahead of him. He knew what it was like to lose a baby that he didnt even really get to know. He was talking from real experience when he penned those words.
We have found that more and more people come every year. People help each other, and support each other, explained Herzig. We are here to remember those who are no longer physically with us. They are still in our hearts and in our minds.
