Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep
This will be one of the few blogs that I write that will not include photos. And for good reason.
If you never heard of Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (www.NILMDTS.org), let me introduce you to the organization. I attended a photography workshop earlier this year and a representative for the organization showed a video explaining who they are and what they do and the need for more volunteer photographers to be a part. I was hooked, emotionally drawn and immediately connected to the organization.
Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is a non-profit organization that exists to assist families suffering an early infant lost. These services are available for infant loss as early as 25 weeks gestation or at the discretion of medical personnel. Parents of critically ill or stillborn babies contact NILMDTS, who then provide them with beautiful, heirloom portraits of their children, photo albums and slideshows.
I joined the organization to be one of their photographers and last week got my first call to photograph a three-day old newborn with brain damage, who wasn’t expected to live much longer, and his family. Because the family requested we keep the photos private, I will not post any. But it was such a powerful experience that made me appreciate life even more and the time we do have with family, friends and loved ones. Sometimes we take life for granted. We see our children and assume they’re going to be there tomorrow so we don’t tell them we love them today. Many families have experienced stillborn babies or critically ill children and wished they had more opportunities, the opportunities some of us have, to kiss their children again or to say they love them.
So, for all who read this post, I love you and I appreciate you. I don’t take this opportunity for granted. And I admonish you to tell those who are close to you that you love and appreciate them. We all have missed opportunities and at some point wished we could have said or done something differently or more. So let this be a challenge that the next opportunity you have, you’ll seize the moment and make the most of it. I know I will.