RFL Weekend-- The Sound of Silence

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains within the sound of silence

 Opening Ceremony was on June 6th  at 10 am. Although I might not be fully able to do as I wished this weekend  my heart is always  here  during this very special weekend. At 11:00am on Saturday is always the caregiver/survivor lap then at noon is the Teams lap. I didn't have the time this  year to join a team like  I normally  do when this  weekend does come around. Do I regret not  joining a team of course I do. I lost so many important  and special  people  in my life due to different types of  cancer. People  told me  that  the darkness that comes with  grief from losing  someone  gets easier with time but  I disagree. I feel like time  stole away  family, mentors as well as friends. If you ever watched someone  going chemo or radiation its a draining on the caretaker as well as the patient. I was a caretaker for my grandmother for years. When she passed it felt like I had not only lost my grandma but a friend.

So light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

Light 'em up, up, up

So this year the Luminaria is set to receive donations starting at a donation level of $L 50.  You can light a luminaria at any time once the regions are open right up to and through the ceremony itself (and until relay ends). When a donation is made by paying the luminaria,  you will have the opportunity to enter the name of the person you wish to remember. This is optional.  The luminaria will change colors based upon the amount donated according to the following levels:

 Yellow  50 to 499
Green 500 to 999
Blue 1000 to 2499
Orange 2500 to 4999
Pink 5000 to 9999
Purple 10000 and over

When donating to a luminaria, a box will appear asking if you would like to dedicate In Memory or In Honor. Once you choose one if you want, another  box will appear on your screen where you can type the name or message.  Once you have completed, you will see the text hovering above the luminaria.  Default amounts set on the luminaria can be typed over so you can choose your donation level.Please note that the Luminaria will accept any donation amount, but will only light up with a minimum single donation of $L 50.

I for one would rather spend all my Lindens this weekend lighting up Luminarias than  having  the newest  and latest  outfit to wear, a home on Second Life  that I can show off to all my friends or even a brand new Second Life Car that I want to learn to drive because I can't drive in RL. None of that really matters but what does matter  the most to at least someone like me is seeing the track all beautifully lit up by  closing ceremony on Sunday at 10am. 

As always I do not nor will I ever own  the songs  I used. I would love to be the one to say I had written "Sound of Silence" or "Light 'em up" by Fall Out Boy. If anyone who knows me knows that I prefer Disturbed's version of "Sound of Silence" over the orginal. As always my friends share your thoughts with me. I love  hearing stories,  thoughts and being challenged on writing topics.