ANNIE’S MAILBOX: Light a candle for a child on Dec. 12

By Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar

Dear Annie: When a child dies, the world stops for that family, and the holidays become a time of painful remembrance rather than a time of celebration. The 14th Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting on Dec. 12 marks a day where families around the globe light candles in remembrance of all children who have died, regardless of age, cause of death or ethnic origin. The Worldwide Candle Lighting has grown from a small Internet remembrance into what may be the world’s largest mass candle lighting, with hundreds of formal services open to the public and tens of thousands of candles being lighted in homes with friends and family.

The Compassionate Friends self-help support organization for families grieving the death of a child invites everyone to join in this day of remembrance by lighting a candle at 7 p.m. local time for one hour or by participating in one of the many services. A Remembrance Book will be open throughout the day on TCF’s national website to post memorial messages.

To learn more and to view information on services around the globe, please visit our national website at compassionatefriends.org or The Compassionate Friends/USA Facebook page, or call 877-969-0010.

Thank you, Annie, for helping The Compassionate Friends to spread the word about this day, which is reserved for our children who are loved, missed and always remembered. This day is set aside so that “their light may always shine!”

Patricia Loder, Executive Director, The Compassionate Friends/USA

Dear Patricia Loder: Thank you for giving us the opportunity to again mention the Worldwide Candle Lighting. This is a magnificent opportunity for the bereaved and their friends and family members to honor the memory of a child who has died and to be part of a community of others who are paying tribute to their loved ones. We hope our readers will participate in this worthwhile event.

Dear Annie: I’ve been married for more than 40 years. For the past six, my husband has been playing Lotto, and it has gotten out of control. He’s addicted.

He spends hundreds of dollars daily and has started using our retirement money. I spoke to him about counseling, but he gets upset when I bring up the topic. What should I do?

Going Broke in Florida

Dear Going Broke: Your husband has a gambling problem. He also may be having some medical issues that prevent him from controlling his behavior. First talk to your banker or investment adviser about transferring your retirement funds into an account that your husband cannot get his hands on. Then make an appointment for your husband to see his doctor. Explain the problem, and ask that he be given a complete checkup and an evaluation. Also contact Gam-Anon (gam-anon.org), P.O. Box 157, Whitestone, NY 11357.

E-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

Creators Syndicate