Last week se attended our 3rd annual Time to Remember Service hosted by Boston Children's Hospital. It is always so difficult to get there (physically, emotionally, mentally...): but such a rewarding memorial ceremony to remember all the children, teens and adults who have touched our lives. We saw so many members from Jaiden's team... her nurses, the child psychologists, the social workers. They were all so wonderfully supportive to us when we lost Jaiden; they left an imprint on our hearts forever. It was really special to see how happy they were to meet Miss Nadia. So many words spoken and unspoken that night...
I wanted to share one reading that continues to tug at my own soul. It is entitled "The Elephant in the Room" by Terry Kettering:
There's and elephant in the room.
It is large and squatting,
so it is hard to get around.
Yet we squeeze by with,
“How are you?” and, “I’m fine,”
And a thousand other forms of trivial chatter.
We talk about the weather,
We talk about work:
We talk about everything else-
Except the elephant in the room.
There’s an elephant in the room.
We all know it is there.
We are thinking about the elephant
As we talk together.
It is constantly on our minds.
For, you see, it is a very big elephant.
It has hurt us all, but we do not talk about
The elephant in the room.
Oh, please, say my child’s name.
Oh, please, say her name again.
Oh, please, let’s talk about
The elephant in the room.
For if we talk about my child’s death,
Perhaps we can talk about her life.
Can I say my child’s name to you
And not have you look away?
For if I cannot,
Then you are leaving me alone
In a room – with an elephant.