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HOMEWOOD, Ala. (WIAT) — The Homewood community seeks hope and healing this holiday season in an uplifting way. CBS42 visited with members of the community as they took time to honor the lives of lost loved ones.
An event like today’s ‘Tree of Lights’ Memorial shows the holidays are often full of family time and fun, but some are met with grief.
To lift the spirits of residents handling loss, community grief support decorated a special memento that will help shine a light on the loved ones we’ve lost.
It’s the ‘Tree of Lights’ that shines bright for all to see in Homewood. Each light twinkles in honor of a lost loved one.
Catherine Pittman Smith with Community Grief Support says the holidays can be hard for those who have lost someone. She hopes the meaning of this tree will help people find healing.
“It’s just hard,” said Smith who serves as Administrative Director of Community Grief Support. “This is all you know. And to unlearn that is a hard thing to do- to do something different. And that’s what we give permission to do- that you can do something different. You don’t have to stay home. You can go somewhere else and celebrate. You don’t have to celebrate at all.”
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Regardless, she says it’s all about finding community support and the right steps that will help you move forward.
“To step back into life again, and to find your way back to joy- it’s different,” Smith said. “It’s not the same, but you can find your way back to that, and I think that we give people permission to begin to take those steps.”
Jessica Miller lost her brother at a young age. She says knowing that a light now shines in honor of his memory means so much to her family.
“It just kind of goes to show that you’re not alone in the loss- that it’s always worth remembering somebody any small form or fashion,” Miller said. “And it goes to show people still care.”
To learn more about how you can sponsor a light on the ‘Tree of Lights,’ you can visit
