Gary, Tom & Sequoia

Dear All

This evening finds me in a very reflective happy/sad head space inspired by nature, death, love and friendship. I don't really know where to start this posting so here goes...

A week ago an old friend Derek from Australia's Dad Gary died, today a friend Tom in the US from my meditation group died, in the next few weeks a friend in Vancouver's dog Sequoia is expected to die of cancer...

Each of their deaths bring something very beautiful to my life...I don't have the words to describe it exactly but it has to do with a feeling of an appreciation for what each of them has given to their friends and families and how they have each made an impression and changed the world in their own ways.

Gary belongs to a category of men who I would describe as 'one of life's good guys'. He watched us fumble our ways through our late teens and early twenties. I'm sure we annoyed the hell out of him sometimes with the constant invasions of his home, but he always made us feel welcome. I last saw Gary at my parents 50th wedding anniversary dinner...a bit older a greyer than I remember him but still the same old Gary, greeting me like I was a long lost friend. At the end of the night Gary and his wife Rose were the last to leave the restaurant and as we all walked out into the street and said our goodbyes I would not have imagined that it was the last time we would see each other....I will miss him.

Tom died suddenly and unexpectedly in his sleep last night. He also belongs in the 'one of life's good guys' category. Apart from his numerous other roles at our retreats, Tom was the offical 'meet and greet' guy as people arrived to register. He was an uncomplicated guy who had a big heart and the ability to just go up to total strangers who were looking lost and a bit vulnerable and make them feel completely welcome and cared for. My last memory of Tom was chatting about how he was going to celebrate his birthday that evening with his wife and kids with a late night pizza after getting home from retreat....I will miss him.

Sequoia has an inoperable cancer and is expected to die in the next few weeks. Sequoia is a 13 year old labrador and constant companion of her 'dad' Chadwick to whom she has brought an incredible wealth of love and joy over the years. Sequoia holds the official title of being one of this planets mellowest dogs. As with all 'labs' she loves the water and the last time I saw her she had decided that she was feeling well enough to climb out of bed where she had uncharicteristically been for the previous few days and just chase sticks in and out of the water at the beach for the afternoon with a few doggie buddies....I will miss her.

I spent today in nature with a friend hiking in the mountians, swimming in a lake and this evening by myself with my first swim in the ocean for the season. Nature brings out the best in me and I reflect a lot when I am in it....with lots of reflecting today....as far as I know Gary, Tom & Sequoia didn't set out to transform the world we live in by doing anything particularly profound but each of them has done so in their own way by just being who they are and loving those who surround them.

I thank each of them for the impact that they have left on my life and for the sense of appreciation that their deaths has given me for those who love and surround me.

G