Please join me in sending love and light and all the healing prayers you can muster for those suffering from the devastation left behind the wake of the storms that have been plaguing the South. It all seems so unprecedented. Makes me wonder if this is all a part of the coming Shift. My heart bleeds for those who have lost loved ones.
This poem, written by our beloved Robert, is perhaps one of the most touching pieces I’ve read in a long time. Word after poignant word, he shares how 26 deceased loved ones have helped mold him into the the wise and compassionate spiritual being that he is. This made me reflect on just how important each person who crosses our path truly is. They’re like a single golden thread that, when woven together with others, creates the tapestry of our life. Thanks for sharing this with us, Robert.
to the departed
grand dad died
long before i came into Being.
yet, not even Death
can make silent the lessons of Life.
yours taught me
how one can leave an enduring Legacy
of empowerment, kindness, and an absence of judgement.
grandma carried within the gift of nurturing.
she taught me how to care for others;
how to be appreciative of all things.
billy, beth, and mandy
gave me the ability
to see past another’s disabilities
and cherish the small slivers of time
self-gifted to ourselves.
jendra displayed endless happiness
and showed me how to illuminate
a shadowed soul.
carol was a beacon of perseverance.
keep trying was her donation to me.
from grandpa i learned
how a lifetime of pain and regret
can twist the Heart.
valerie,
if you only knew all i saw in you.
you showed me quiet strength
and how a Spirit can suffer in silence.
audy,
small talk was your gift to me.
lee was a pillar of sensitivity;
a ferocious defender of one’s self.
no nonsense.
thank you for showing me i am not a door mat.
in allen,
i found that self expression
is an act of Love.
keith,
you profoundly changed me
with the gifts of Knowing
unconditional, true romantic love
and the pain of having it taken away.
david opened my eyes
to the End of Life Truth.
it is a time of closure.
it is a place of profound awakenings.
smiles and laughter
are suffering’s antidote
and a perceptive Soul’s sword and shield.
i carry them always
in remembrance of you, Don.
my friend joe,
i thank you for showing me kindness
and that it is never too late
to follow your dreams.
brock,
had i never known you
would i have ever seen humility?
chuck and tony
both taught me humor.
a most valuable lesson, indeed.
chris was the older brother i never had.
thank you for taking me under your wing,
for showing me how to embrace the primal aspects of life,
for teaching me that fear is an illusion.
take time away from responsibility.
get lost in the pleasures of hobby.
these were jeff’s benefactions.
daddy,
i discovered how to forgive because of you.
your greatest gift, however,
was that Death is not a bringer of dread.
it is a beautiful, pleasant, joyful re-awakening.
i could ask for nothing more.
fearlessly stand up for the defenseless,
even if it means losing your life.
you gave me that gift
dear brody.
roy taught me loyalty
and to do what is best for you
regardless of the pain
one’s decision brings to others.
your’s was a slow, humbling exit,
dearest sue.
still, in spite of that perceived harsh experience
i learned we can always maintain
grace, empathy, and compassion.
granny,
had it not been for you
i’d have never seen how important it is
to remember the best part of
what once was.
erik is the disincarnate friend
i never knew could be.
in your care i discovered
Death is merely a transformation.
please accept this acknowledgement
of the lessons you provide.
i am forever in your debt.
my existence has been a series
of blessings expressed in human form.
each life helped me rediscover
Who I Am.
each enlightened my soul.
these humble words
convey my gratitude
to the departed,
to the catalysts
of my expansion.
robert f burke
april 25, 2011
Lovely. By the way, Jamie will probably have the program details on her website by Monday, including a way for us to make reservations. Steve will work on economical lodgings in the area.
