A Walk to Remember

Today was the Empty Arms walk. Kathleen and I were there at Look Park, with a balloon with Henry's name written on it tied to her stroller.

In addressing the group, Carol said that when Charlotte died, she was afraid that nobody would remember her daughter, yet so many people now know her as Charlotte's mama. I know the desire to have your baby remembered. I am "lucky" in that Henry lived for six and half months. Many people got to meet him, perhaps briefly, perhaps while he was on the paralytic, but they met him. I remember saying over and over at the funeral as people came in, "I'm so glad you got to meet him." Each person who met him, even those who only read his story, keep a tiny piece of him alive.

So I carry pieces of the babies I've "met" in person or online through their mamas: Charlotte, Magie, Birdie, Emma, Hope, Tikva, Callum, Liam, Oliver, Eliana, Jordan, Sean, Isabella, Teddy, Caitlin, Keely, Ezra, Sage, Grace, Theo, Christian, Justin, George, Sam, Thomas, Nicholas, Andrew, Gwen, Gabriel . . . so many and yet I know there are more, not just more babies, but babies I know.

I'm so sorry they aren't here.