“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”
― Thomas Campbell
Colorful tissue paper lanterns danced through the crisp evening sky with hearts of flickering flames, their moments of vitality quietly measured. Many drifted away with little effort until they were only a tiny glow in the distance, while others were not as fortunate. Life, like tissue paper lanterns, is fleeting. You cannot know whether the lantern will travel a great distance or if the flames of its heart will begin to fade. Though the lanterns may cease to exist in one length of time or another, you will always have the memory.
I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of a celebration of life. I did not have the fortune to know Kristin before his passing. However, as I watched his friends and family gather together, I learned one definite fact: he is loved. He is loved so deeply and by so many, he will live on in their hearts forever.
