All the Darkness of the World Cannot Put Out the Light of One Small Candle

It was the quote I used for the senior year book in high school. I haven't thought about that quote much since then-though I believe there is real evidence that it holds true. But you have to believe.

Last night we kept Ava up late to visit the Maine Pumpkin Festival, to benefit Camp Sunshine which provides retreats to kids with life threatening illnesses and their families. When I think about what our small donation contributed to, I felt overwhelmingly grateful that my child is perfectly healthy.

It made my heart hurt for those who are not so fortunate.

In 2006 this event broke the world record for the most Jack-O-Lanterns lit in one place in Boston. There was a record to be broken again this year, in the Guinness book of World Records. Unfortunately, the 23,000 + pumpkins lit last night fell short of the 30,128 goal.

23,000 lit pumpkins though!?! What a sight! Thousands of pumpkins lit and on display as the sky grew dark and the moon rose-the air was snappy and crisp and we bundled our little pumpkin up in a fleecy cocoon for the stroller ride through the field.

The tower of pumpkins was a big hit and the blue of the October sky against the gold light made me remember that all the darkness of the world really can't put out the light of one small candle.

If you believe.