Honoring Grace Pearl: A Dance Party Tradition, Seven Years On
Tonight is the seventh anniversary of our goodbye dance for Grace
Seven years ago tonight, my husband Jim and I held a dance party, not to celebrate, but to say our goodbyes to Grace Pearl.
The idea for our dance party came from a simple question I asked Jim the night before we were scheduled to say goodbye to Grace: How would he like to say goodbye to her? His answer was to create a playlist of songs he had always wanted to share with her before a fatal fetal diagnosis prompted us to decide to terminate our desperately wanted pregnancy. In our pajamas, surrounded by the soft glow of candles, we embraced the darkness and danced to the rhythm of the songs that became a soundtrack to our memories.
I shared this experience on The Moth at the 14:10 minute point.
Tonight marks the seventh anniversary of Grace's dance party, a night that has become a cherished tradition for us. Each year, we listen to the playlist and receive messages from friends across the globe, joining us in this intimate memory and celebration. Their virtual presence helps us feel connected, less alone, and reassures us that Grace is not forgotten. It means the world to us.
If you'd like to join us in honoring Grace tonight, consider listening with us and lighting a candle in her memory. As we enter the seventh year of our dance party tradition, your participation, even from afar, contributes to the warmth and love these songs bring to our hearts, celebrating the beautiful, albeit brief, existence of Grace Pearl.
Grace's Dance Party Playlist
The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
The Beatles - Twist And Shout
The Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive
Grace's Dance Party Playlist
The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
The Beatles - Twist And Shout
The Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive
Blondie - Atomic
Chuck Berry - You Never Can Tell
Sam Cooke - Nothing Can Change This Love
The Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes
Earth, Wind & Fire – September
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
The Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up, Part 1(Single Version)
Al Green - I'm Still In Love With You
Al Green - Let's Stay Together
The Hollies - Bus Stop
Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Single Version)
The Jackson 5 - ABC
KC & The Sunshine Band - Get Down Tonight (Single Version)
Kenny Loggins - Footloose
Little River Band - Lady
MFSB - T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia)
Olivia Newton-John/John Travolta - You're The One That I Want
The O'Jays - Love Train
Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
The Rolling Stones - Let's Spend The Night Together
The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar
Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
Warpaint - New Song
Stevie Wonder - I Was Made To Love Her
Stevie Wonder – Superstition
Neil Young – Harvest Moon
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