On Friday, Hall Funeral Home in Proctorville will host its annual Tree of Life Ceremony.
During the evening, the names of those who have died in the past year will be read out and family members will have the opportunity to hang an ornament on the tree in their memory.

After the ornaments are hung, the event concludes with the lighting of the tree.

The public is invited to take part in the ceremony, which begins at 6 p.m.

In addition, the event usually features a speaker who addresses the topics of mourning and grief.

In 2015, Pastor Brady Lipscomb addressed the gathering. He is set to speak again this weekend.

“Tears are not a bad thing,” he said that year. “Tears are a gift. Don’t rob yourself of that gift.”

He stressed the value of remembering the departed and sharing stories.

“Our loved ones have given us gifts that death can not take away,” he said. “These are gifts we can pass on.”

The initial year after the death of a loved one can be hard for a family, as they wrestle with emotions, seeking an ease in their pain, but, at the same time, not wanting to forget the person they knew.

This is especially true during the holidays.

The Hall family, who run the funeral home, is to be commended for putting together this yearly service, which draws a large number of people and allows them to be with others who are in the same position.

Our hope is that the words  and thoughts spoken help them to cope and that the service will allow them to find peace in the holidays.