This past month, my 21 year-old niece was murdered by her boyfriend, and yesterday I found out that a good friend of my son's, whose mother is my friend, died as the result of injuries sustained in an avalanche, doing something he loved - extreme skiing. He was 29 years old. On the surface there may not seem to be much of a connection between these two deaths, but there are two that stand out for me.
The first is about the fragility of life as we know it - it can change in a heartbeat. We didn't have a chance to say "good-bye" or "I love you" to either of these two young people. And that hurts.
The second thing is something I'm just beginning to know. That when things look really dark and we despair, we need only look to the circles of Love and Light that surround us. Circles of friends, of facebook acquaintances even, family members scattered hither and yon, colleagues from work, neighbors - each circle adds to the whole of the energy of healing, and can help to dispel the darkness that threatens to engulf us.
Since I became an interfaith chaplain, I look at death differently. I used to be afraid to be with people who had lost loved ones, afraid I'd say the wrong thing, or not be able to offer any comfort. What I know now, is just by entering a circle of compassionate friends, saying "I'm sorry", or "I have no words", reaching out to let them know we care - is enough. Actually, for me, it was more than enough - it was heartwarming and let me know others cared. Such a blessing.
So I offer this blessing - a song that I love, as an antidote to despair and grief:
Deep Peace of the Rolling Waves to You,
Deep Peace of the Quiet Earth.
Deep Peace of the Gentle Air to You,
Deep Peace of the Shooting Stars.
May Peace, Deep Peace, May Peace Fill Your Soul,
May Peace, Deep Peace, May Peace Make You Whole.
Blessings,
The first is about the fragility of life as we know it - it can change in a heartbeat. We didn't have a chance to say "good-bye" or "I love you" to either of these two young people. And that hurts.
The second thing is something I'm just beginning to know. That when things look really dark and we despair, we need only look to the circles of Love and Light that surround us. Circles of friends, of facebook acquaintances even, family members scattered hither and yon, colleagues from work, neighbors - each circle adds to the whole of the energy of healing, and can help to dispel the darkness that threatens to engulf us.
Since I became an interfaith chaplain, I look at death differently. I used to be afraid to be with people who had lost loved ones, afraid I'd say the wrong thing, or not be able to offer any comfort. What I know now, is just by entering a circle of compassionate friends, saying "I'm sorry", or "I have no words", reaching out to let them know we care - is enough. Actually, for me, it was more than enough - it was heartwarming and let me know others cared. Such a blessing.
So I offer this blessing - a song that I love, as an antidote to despair and grief:
Deep Peace of the Rolling Waves to You,
Deep Peace of the Quiet Earth.
Deep Peace of the Gentle Air to You,
Deep Peace of the Shooting Stars.
May Peace, Deep Peace, May Peace Fill Your Soul,
May Peace, Deep Peace, May Peace Make You Whole.
Blessings,
RSS Feed
