Also see Memorial Albums and Baby Memorial Albums.
When your parent dies you've lost your past,
but when your child dies you've lost your future.
You will probably feel very lonely in your grief.
No one else knew your baby except you, the parents.
Others will soon forget.
You will continue to remember your child's impact on your life.
When the Lord has called for a lost child to come home
an angel guides that child along a path where light is shown.
Even though the journey may be frightful, the child unsure,
With Love, Faith, and Trust in God the journey can be endured.
At times it may be difficult; the child will need to rest
and dream about the life he's lived--he's done his very best.
He continues on his journey though the road is rough and long
It's hard to go from day to day but the child is very strong.
A feeling of joy fills his heart for he knows he's almost there;
The child is near a peaceful home full of never-ending care.
And though the journey was frightful, the path a winding road,
the child knows he's no longer lost; he has found his way back home.
(by Rita Moran)
PLEASE, don't ask me if I'm over it yet.
I'll never be over it.
PLEASE, don't tell me she's in a better place.
She isn't here with me.
PLEASE, don't say at least she isn't suffering.
I haven't come to terms with why she had to suffer at all.
PLEASE, don't tell me you know how I feel,
Unless you have lost a child.
PLEASE, don't ask me if I feel better.
Bereavement isn't a condition that clears up.
PLEASE, don't tell me at least you had her for so many years.
What year would you choose for your child to die?
PLEASE, don't tell me God never gives us more than we can bear.
PLEASE, just say you are sorry.
PLEASE, just say you remember my child, if you do.
PLEASE, just let me talk about my child.
PLEASE, mention my child's name.
PLEASE, just let me cry.
Little one, little one,
Where have you gone?
Your going has darkened
The brightest dawn.
Why did you leave us
So soon, so soon?
Where can we look for you?
Over the moon?
On butterflies' wings?
In the heart of a rose?
Who knows, who knows
Where a little one goes?
Where have I gone,
I am not so small.
My soul is as wide
As the world is tall.
I have gone to answer
The call, the call
Of the One who takes
Care of us all.
Wherever you look,
You will find me there--
In the heart of a rose,
In the heart of a prayer.
On butterflies' wings,
On wings of my own,
To you, I'm gone,
But I'm never alone--
I'm over the moon.
I am home.
(Elizabeth Dent)
Go ahead and Mention my child,
The one that died, you know.
Don't worry about hurting me further.
The depth of my pain doesn't show.
Don't worry about making me cry.
I'm already crying inside.
Help me heal by releasing
The tears that I try and hide.
I'm hurt when you just keep silent,
Pretending he didn't exist.
I'd rather you mention my child,
Knowing that he has been missed.
You asked me how I was doing.
I say "pretty good" or "fine"
But healing is something ongoing.
I feel it will take a lifetime.
Daughters may die,
But why?
For even daughters can't live with half a heart.
Three days isn't much of a life.
But long enough to remember thin blue lips, uneven gasps in incubators,
Racking breaths that cause a pain to those who watched.
Long enough to remember I never held her
Or felt her softness
Or counted her toes.
I didn't even know the color of her eyes.
Dead paled hands not quite covered by the gown she
Was to go home in.
Moist earthy smell.
One small casket.
And the tears.
You see, I hold in my hand but souvenirs of an occasion.
A sheet of paper filled with statistics,
A certificate with smudged footprints,
A tiny bracelet engraved "Girl, Smith."
You say that you are sorry
That you know how I feel.
But you can't know because I don't feel.
Not yet.
(Edgar A. Guest)
"I'll lend you for a little time
A child of Mine," He said,
"For you to love the while he lives
And mourn for when he is dead.
It may be six or seven years,
Or twenty two or three;
But will you, 'til I call him back,
Take care of him for Me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you,
And should his stay be brief,
You'll have his loving memories
As solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return,
But there are lessons taught down there
I want this child to learn,
I've looked the wide world over
In My search for teachers true,
And from all the throngs that crowd
Life's lanes I've selected you.
Now will you give him all your love,
Not think the labor vain,
Nor hate Me when I come to call
To take him back again?"
I fancied that I heard them say,
"Dear Lord, Thy will be done."
For all the joy Thy child shall bring,
The risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known,
Forever grateful stay;
But should the angels call for him
Sooner than we've planned
We'll brave the bitter grief
That comes and try to understand."
(Tami Pugh)
Did you look back?
I think you did.
As you crossed through
the Valley of the Shadow.
Although I think that you were glad
to set down your burden.
You never spoke your love for us--
You never could in this life.
But I think I felt your soul expand
as it unfurled from its restrictions.
And I do feel that you looked back
as you walked toward the light.
(from a song by Twila Parris)
A visitor from heaven, if only for a while,
A gift of love to be returned
We think of you and smile.
A visitor from heaven accompanied by grace
Reminding of a better love and of a better place.
With aching hearts and empty arms
we send you with a name
It hurts so much to let you go,
but were so glad you came.
There's a special angel in heaven
that is a part of me
It is not where I wanted him,
but where God wanted him to be.
He was here but just a moment
like a night time shooting star
And though he is in heaven
He isn't very far
He touched the heart of many
like only an angel can do
I would've held him more often
if the end I only knew.
So I send this special message
to the heavens up above,
please take care of my angel,
and send him all my love.
Please don't be so sad,
I miss you so much, too.
It's beautiful here where I am
But I worry a lot about you.
I sleep with angels watching me,
There's only love up here . . .
I'm never lonely or afraid,
'Cause God's so very near.
I walk with Jesus every day
He's very kind and sweet.
Don't worry mom; He holds my hand
When we cross a golden street.
I never cry or hurt myself
I see Grandma everyday . . .
I play and laugh and sing a lot
And I hear you when you pray.
Please mommy, don't be mad at God
You see, He loves me too,
And even though you're not with me
I'm really still with you.
Don't think of her as gone away--
her journey's just begun
life holds so many facets--
this earth is only one.
Just think of her as resting
from the sorrows and the tears
in a place of warmth and comfort
where there are no days and years.
Think how she must be wishing
that we could know today
how nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.
And think of her as living
in the hearts of those she touched . . .
for nothing loved is ever lost
and she was loved so much!
One gift, above all others
God gives to us to treasure
One that knows no time, no place
And one gold cannot measure
The precious, poignant tender gift
Of Memory . . . that will keep
On dear ones ever in our hearts
Although God gives them sleep
It brings back long remembered things
A song, a word, a smile
And the world's a better place
. . . because
We had them for awhile!
How quietly she
tiptoed into our world.
Softly, only a moment
she stayed
but what an imprint
her footprints have left
upon our hearts.
How very softly
you tiptoed into my world.
Almost silently.
Only a moment you stayed.
But what an imprint
your tiny footprints
have left upon my heart.
I see countless Christmas trees around the world below.
With tiny lights, like heaven's stars, reflecting in the snow.
The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away that tear,
For I am spending Christmas, with Jesus Christ this year.
I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,
But the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here.
I have no words to tell you the joy their voices bring,
For it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.
I know how much you miss me. I see the pain inside your heart,
But I'm not so far away, we really aren't apart.
So be happy for me dear ones. You know I hold you dear,
And I'm glad I'm spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
I send you each a special gift from my heavenly home above,
I send you each a memory of my undying love.
After all, love is the gift more precious than pure gold,
It was always most important in the stories Jesus told.
Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do.
For I can't count the blessings or the love He has for each of you.
So, have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear,
For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.