Light

There were over 7,000 people participating in Light the Night - it was an amazing experience for me. Each participant carried an illuminated balloon as they crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. The balloons were color-coded, red for supporters, white for survivors, and gold for in memory of. It was a very solemn yet inspiring experience.

A group of us from work were walking the bridge together. About a third of the way across, we paused for a group photo. After we took our picture a woman asked if we would take a picture of her. As my friend prepared to take the picture, the woman mentioned that she wished she had a group to walk with, that she had been participating in LTN for 10 years, always by herself and suggested that maybe we could be her group for one photo. I think we must have all felt at that moment a similar desire to help this woman as we each stepped forward and surrounded her for the snapshot. She thanked us, took her camera and turned away, continuing her walk of the bridge. My gaze was drawn to her as she walked away and I realized that she carried two balloons, a red one, signifying support, and also, on a shortened string and tied to the back of her belt (not visible from the front) a gold balloon, showing that she had lost someone to a blood cancer. It was a humbling moment for me as I witnessed her loss.