For Good. For Luke
Time has been crawling this month, really all of 2022 I have been feeling it… a terrible trudge towards the dreaded ten-year mark of Luke’s last day on Earth. We are unsure which pain is worse, the shock of what happened or the ache for what never will.
I weep because life is so full — was so full— of joys and hurts. Of the madness that flows between the two.
All we can do is squint really hard, brace ourselves against walls and each other, and focus on the good.
The good.
The 7,079 days we had Luke with us.
The meals together, the stories, the travels, the moments that seem so mundane in the moment and so monumental now.
The good.
The friendships he introduced us to and left us with to hold dear. The many who bring him with them, in the form of little hearts. And in their hearts.
The good.
His ability to see the light inside everyone and spark a connection with strangers anywhere, everywhere.
The good.
The impetus to take his spark—and the love we have for him—and spread it far and wide.
Luke’s Lights was ignited by that spark.
THE GOOD
• 168,169 LIGHTS distributed in 78 countries
• 12.5 MMT of C02e emissions reduced
• $24.2 million saved in reduced energy costs
It’s not lost on us that, were it not for catastrophe in our lives, we would likely never be bringing solar lights around the world. Forgive us for admitting that we’d yank all those lamps away from those thousands of humans if it would bring Luke back. Alas, here we are … making miracles out of misery. Bringing light into darkness. In more ways than one. Relishing every "Ti-Luc” and Gracias and Mési Anpil and Asante Sana that gets chanted around the globe when someone who lives in darkness after sundown receives a Luke Light. The warmth, the love … the light is palpable.
If you feel moved to help us spread some LVK spark, we thank you.
But more importantly — especially today—if you could share a story of Luke with us at dreambig@lukeslights.org we will be recharged like the sun charges those little magic lamps.
Mucho Mucho Mucho
The VKs
The VK-5
Always the VK-5
FOR GOOD. FOREVER.
PS: This is where I find Luke. And some solace. In the place where the Earth and the Sky meet, I try to imagine two worlds connected.
I look at the moon at night. I look at dark night skies when the moon is not visible because I logically know it’s there though I cannot see it.
I will myself to believe that we don’t know what we don’t know. And who knows… maybe a Spirit world is there too?
— Gisela
