Cheryl Haggard
01-03-2008, 03:30 PM
This too, is what NILMDTS is all about. Please read this letter from a 16 year old girl. NILMDTS is really making a difference, even in the lives of those not personally touched by the loss of a child. Her words are a gift to all of us.
Dear Ms. Roe, Ms. Puc', and Ms. Haggard,
My name is XXXXXXX, I'm 16, I live in Highlands Ranch, and I'm a junior at Mountain Vista High School. I read the newspaper article about NILMDTS a couple days ago, although it was printed quite a while ago according to my dad, and I can't begin to tell you how much it touched me. I guess my dad had put it in my room some time ago, but he never said anything and I never saw it. Then, a couple days ago, I found it on my music stand. I think I’ve now read that article at least twenty times, and I still can’t keep from crying every single time. It may seem really odd that it has impacted me so profoundly, since I have definitely never been pregnant or had a child, but it has.
I think that part of why it is so moving is because of my sister XXXXX. She is now five years old, but when she was born I wanted nothing to do with her. It sounds so extremely childish now when I look back, but I hated my parents for her birth and for “ruining my life.” I despised her out of pure selfishness, and now, I cannot imagine a day without her. Watching her grow up and try so hard to be like her “big sissie” humbles me more than I ever thought it could, and it makes me so sad that the families that you help have had to say goodbye to that joy forever. I was selfish to wish her gone while there are so many who would give their very lives to have their little one back. I feel foolish for how I behaved 5 years ago, but also so thankful and blessed to have XXXXX in my life now.
Music is my passion. I love every part of it and it is how I express everything about myself and what I feel. After I read your article, I immediately sat down and wrote a song about the babies lost. I very rarely write an entire song in one sitting; I usually get stuck and have to keep coming back and writing more, but I was so filled with emotion after reading that I wrote the whole thing in 20 minutes. Trust me, it’s not perfect, and not even close to done, but the words are mostly there and they are straight from my heart. I play both guitar and piano, not extremely well on either, but well enough to accompany myself, and I’m working on parts for both. I have not yet shared the song with anyone, but I did tell my youth group leader at my church a little about the article and song and he asked if I would play it for our whole youth group and maybe even the whole church when it is finished. He said there are some in the church who have had to cope with losing a child in the past few years and it would be a wonderful thing to share. He told me to pray about it and take my time finishing the song and get back to him when I’m ready.
However, I would not feel comfortable performing the song without your permission. (I wasn’t exactly sure who to ask which is why I’ve emailed all three of you). The name of the song (at the moment) is “Treasured Forever.” The main line in the chorus is the name of your organization, but it says “Now I lay you down to sleep” instead of “me.” (I wrote the song from the perspective of the mother or father, so this was more appropriate). I’m asking for permission to use your name in the song and to perform it. If you would rather, I can re-write that line or not perform it at all. I definitely don’t want to do something you would not want.
Completely separate from the song, however, I simply want to thank you for all you are doing. I can’t imagine the pain you have felt, Mrs. Haggard, in losing your son, but what you have done to remember him and the way you have reached out to help others is inspiring. I’m sure the amount of time you all put into what you do is incomprehensible and probably physically exhausting, yet you keep going because you know what a precious gift your time is. You have made the pain for so many grieving families more bearable. You’ve given them their children. You, along with all of the volunteers, are truly incredible blessings from God. Thank you for everything you have done and are still doing.
Please know, that concerning the song, I completely understand if there is any reason you don’t want in done, and if it is so I will not lose any respect for you all whatsoever. Please tell me honestly whether or not it is OK.
Thank you again.
XXXXX
Dear Ms. Roe, Ms. Puc', and Ms. Haggard,
My name is XXXXXXX, I'm 16, I live in Highlands Ranch, and I'm a junior at Mountain Vista High School. I read the newspaper article about NILMDTS a couple days ago, although it was printed quite a while ago according to my dad, and I can't begin to tell you how much it touched me. I guess my dad had put it in my room some time ago, but he never said anything and I never saw it. Then, a couple days ago, I found it on my music stand. I think I’ve now read that article at least twenty times, and I still can’t keep from crying every single time. It may seem really odd that it has impacted me so profoundly, since I have definitely never been pregnant or had a child, but it has.
I think that part of why it is so moving is because of my sister XXXXX. She is now five years old, but when she was born I wanted nothing to do with her. It sounds so extremely childish now when I look back, but I hated my parents for her birth and for “ruining my life.” I despised her out of pure selfishness, and now, I cannot imagine a day without her. Watching her grow up and try so hard to be like her “big sissie” humbles me more than I ever thought it could, and it makes me so sad that the families that you help have had to say goodbye to that joy forever. I was selfish to wish her gone while there are so many who would give their very lives to have their little one back. I feel foolish for how I behaved 5 years ago, but also so thankful and blessed to have XXXXX in my life now.
Music is my passion. I love every part of it and it is how I express everything about myself and what I feel. After I read your article, I immediately sat down and wrote a song about the babies lost. I very rarely write an entire song in one sitting; I usually get stuck and have to keep coming back and writing more, but I was so filled with emotion after reading that I wrote the whole thing in 20 minutes. Trust me, it’s not perfect, and not even close to done, but the words are mostly there and they are straight from my heart. I play both guitar and piano, not extremely well on either, but well enough to accompany myself, and I’m working on parts for both. I have not yet shared the song with anyone, but I did tell my youth group leader at my church a little about the article and song and he asked if I would play it for our whole youth group and maybe even the whole church when it is finished. He said there are some in the church who have had to cope with losing a child in the past few years and it would be a wonderful thing to share. He told me to pray about it and take my time finishing the song and get back to him when I’m ready.
However, I would not feel comfortable performing the song without your permission. (I wasn’t exactly sure who to ask which is why I’ve emailed all three of you). The name of the song (at the moment) is “Treasured Forever.” The main line in the chorus is the name of your organization, but it says “Now I lay you down to sleep” instead of “me.” (I wrote the song from the perspective of the mother or father, so this was more appropriate). I’m asking for permission to use your name in the song and to perform it. If you would rather, I can re-write that line or not perform it at all. I definitely don’t want to do something you would not want.
Completely separate from the song, however, I simply want to thank you for all you are doing. I can’t imagine the pain you have felt, Mrs. Haggard, in losing your son, but what you have done to remember him and the way you have reached out to help others is inspiring. I’m sure the amount of time you all put into what you do is incomprehensible and probably physically exhausting, yet you keep going because you know what a precious gift your time is. You have made the pain for so many grieving families more bearable. You’ve given them their children. You, along with all of the volunteers, are truly incredible blessings from God. Thank you for everything you have done and are still doing.
Please know, that concerning the song, I completely understand if there is any reason you don’t want in done, and if it is so I will not lose any respect for you all whatsoever. Please tell me honestly whether or not it is OK.
Thank you again.
XXXXX