Meditation for a Balloon Release
Rev. Tom Edmondson
Subject area: Funerals, child’s funeral
I conducted a memorial service for a 12-year-old who died unexpectedly. The family wanted to do a balloon release at the conclusion of the service. They distributed helium balloons to the friends and family of the deceased, asked them to write a message on it, then release it. As I thought about what to say for this portion of the service, I was reminded of Elisabeth Lukas’s well-known “Candle Meditation.” Drawing inspiration from that, I composed the following “Balloon Meditation.”
I love the idea of a balloon release. Balloons are loved by children and adults alike. Think about how a balloon is like life.
A balloon has no life until it is filled with air. These balloons are filled with helium, but we also fill balloons with our breath. In the Bible, the Hebrew word for “breath” is also the word for “spirit.” As Genesis 2:7 says, “the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
For a while, that breath—or helium—animates the balloon, but over time, the balloon loses its elasticity and the breath escapes. Some balloons stay inflated for a long time, but others only stay inflated for a short time. So it is with our earthly bodies. We are animated for a time, and then the breath—or spirit—returns to God.
Our children are like balloons. We bring them into the world, but God gives them life. And like a balloon, we cannot hold on to them, but must release them. Just as the balloons float upward towards heaven, we commend our sons and daughters to the Lord.
[Child’s name] time was too short. You will all miss him/her dearly. I hope you will find comfort in seeing the balloons rise into the sky. Remember that you have given [Child’s name] up to Heaven, and there is no better place for him/her to be.
Take a minute to remember what you love the most about [Child’s name]. On a balloon write a prayer, a favorite memory, a story, or anything else you like. When you are ready, release the balloon into the air. Every balloon represents a prayer, a beautiful message, or memory of wonderful human loved by all.
Copyright 2023 Rev. Tom Edmondson, meaninginministry.com. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use or share this meditation with proper citation of its author and source.