Trees of life light up season
Staying close to loved ones during the holidays
Some cried, some hugged, others shed silent tears. But they were all at the 23rd annual Memorial Tree Service on Tuesday night for the same purpose — to honor and remember a loved one who has died.
Four Christmas trees decorated with white glistening lights and more than 3,000 shiny ornaments, shaped as angels and praying hands, represented one or more loved ones who have died.
“The reason we gather is to remember family members who have passed,” said Ernesto Alonzo, Myers Funeral Service and Crematory director, as he welcomed the crowd. “Whether it has been minutes, hours, weeks or years since you’ve lost a loved one, we know missing someone is exhausting.”
After singing a few Christmas songs, including a couple of musical selections from the Jerry Hall and Trick Shot Christmas CD, Bo Webb of Myers Funeral offered a memorial message.
“When I look at these ornaments, I don’t think of them as ornaments. I think of them as souls,” Webb said.
And after talking about mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters represented on the tree, he talked about one other group.
“One thing that is really cherished is friendship. A lot of you have some friends represented here,” Webb said as he went on to talk about friends. “A true friend accepts us just the way we are and is always ready to stand by us in time of trouble.”
He ended by sharing the heartbreaking story of Joseph Scriven
and the writing of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
“We too can find relief from our burdens when we turn to our friend, Jesus,” Webb said. “He is your Savior, your Guiding Light, and He will bless you.”
The program ended with the singing of “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” a closing prayer, and the lighting of the trees.
In the audience, people could be seen hugging after the program came to an end.
In the crowd was Kristie Rackley of Porterville. Though they have only been attending three years, the annual Myers Memorial Tree service is a special Christmas tradition for her family, she said. The family has lost three
family members within three months since May of 2015.
“Our dad passed away in 2015 and we’ve been coming ever since,” Rackley said. “Christmas was my dad’s favorite time of the year. Now it gives us a new tradition to continue on. My grandson comes with his mom to pick up the ornament and hang it on the tree. It’s very special. This gives us a place to come to be close to him for the holidays.”
For Lydia Alvizo of Porterville, it was her first time attending. Her husband died in April of this year, she said, and she was there honoring and remembering him.
“Thanksgiving was hard. I placed his picture at the table to have him with us. I know Christmas will be difficult,” Alvizo said. “This helps. I’m glad they do
this. It gives me a little piece of him back.”
Alvizo said there is a poem that says when someone passes, they take a little piece of your heart and life with them; but with this ceremony, she feels as if something is given back to her.
“We can’t feel bad because we did everything for him. He was a double lung transfer (recipient) and got eight extra years,” Alvizo said. “We’re happy for those years. Everything he wanted to do, we were able to do.”
Ornaments are free and still available and can be picked from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and 12 to 4 p.m. on Sundays through Dec. 22 at Myers, 248 N. E St. in Porterville. The ornaments will remain on the trees through Christmas.