Terrapin Station

Hail and Farewell, Eric Aadhaar O'Gorman

My branch for Aadhaar, along with my friend the squirriel having his breakfast

Today was the memorial service in Australia for my friend, Eric Aadhaar O'Gorman. 

Here are some instructions he wrote in a blog post before he died, that was put up by a friend after his death: 

If you are attending the funeral, please dress as if you were going out for a lovely lunch or something like that; don't be afraid of colours, or celebration, for it will be a celebration of life as much as a ritual of its passing.  Please bring with you a spray of foliage; a small branch or twig of leaves from a favourite tree or shrub, or any plant that speaks to you along the way; of the right sort of size to act as a fly swisher or a  fan.  This will be used in the ceremony, so hang on to it.

If you wish to attend but cannot and would like to participate in my passing, then maybe consider a small ritual of your own.  Find yourself a suitable little branch of leaves, a beautiful quiet spot with an outlook on something natural, and meditate on the life that runs through you.  The life that runs through your being from crown to footsoles, that courses through your switch of foliage, that extends around the planet and is the very same energy with which you and I are connected.  Meditate on the Oneness of you and I and everything, and if you are moved to do so, bring your memories of me to mind.  Then take your fan of leaves, and swish me away. See my spirit rising up before you as if a wreath of fragrant smoke, and fan my spirit back home.  Guide my spirit upward and outward, fan me away, and let me go.  Dissolve.  When you are done, return your little branch to nature as best you see fit; fire, compost, or just left gently on the earth under some trees.  And say a prayer for yourself.  Perhaps the one below.

And also, have a wonderful day.

Great Spirit, whose voice in the winds I hear,

And whose breath gives life to all the world. Hear me.

Before you I come, one of your many children.

Small and weak am I.

Your strength and wisdom I need.

Make me walk in beauty.

Make me respect all you have made,

My ears to hear your voice.

Make me wise that I may know all you have taught we people,

The lessons you have hidden in every rock.

I seek strength not to be superior to my brother,

Make me able to overcome my greatest enemy, myself.

Make me ready to stand before you with clean and straight eyes.

When life fades, as the fading sunset,

May my spirit stand before you without shame.

(adapted from Chief Yellow Lark of the Lakota, North America).

I just saw the message with funeral details this morning, so I missed participating last night, at the same time as those in Australia, but it doesn't matter. 

This morning I went out into the side yard and cut the small branch you see in the vase.  The bough sprang up when I did, as if it were glad for the release. 

I took it to work with me today, to commemorate my friend.  I took its photo while My Friend the Squirrel was having breakfast.  When I got back home this evening, I went out into the yard with the branch and burned some sage and remembered. 

I am grateful for what I learned from Eric Aadhaar about blenderized diets and courage and humor and facing death. 

Friday Five: Randomosity

Karla presents this random 5 at RevGals:

1.  If a spaceship landed in your back yard, and three very cute little aliens knocked on your door and asked you to show them around Earth,where would you take them?  (Remember, you have superpowers from last month's Second Friday Five, so if you need to use them for transportation, feel free to do so.)  The beach (see below) and also the fun and quirky places in my town. 

2.  What is making you grumpy these days?  Needing to go to the beach. 

3.  O.K., so now that you got the grumps out, what is one thing today that will be sheerly joyful for you?  Jazzercise

4. I am pitifully, once again, trying to grow a garden. Last year I only harvested one cucumber. This year, I have zucchini, cucumbers and tiny tomato plants. Everything is abloom, but the jury is out whether there will be any yield. So, do YOU have a garden? What are you growing? If you don't, what is your favorite fresh summertime vegetable/fruit/flower?  My zucchini bloomed like crazy (still is) but never set fruit.  Not enough sun.  Lesson learned, ok.  My tomatoes gave about 5 good size fruit, delicious, but despite lots more flowers, not sure if we are going to have any more of those.  My asparagus is in its first year so mostly making ferns...nothing harvestable there, nothing to see for 2 more years.  The basil did well enough to make a big batch of Ina Garten/John Mayfield roasted tomato soup, but it seems tired now.  I do have ONE banana pepper on that plant.  The corn was attacked by ants.  The cilantro gave up the ghost.  But, Ken's plantings are doing great...elephant ears!!!

5. If the aforementioned aliens suddenly demanded all the contents of your closet, OR ELSE (as in clothing, shoes, etc.) but kindly said you could keep three items, what would they be?  Ha.  My grandfather's satin smoking jacket (deep red); a crazy quilt vest my grandmother made my mom; and the dress I wore to my wedding, with a bustier type quilted vest bought at the Renaissance Faire where we were married. I think it's time to clean out my closet, what?

Friday Five: Grateful Edition

Kathrynzj says at RevGals:

The Friday Five is very, very late but God is GOOD - ALL THE TIME so you are invited to share with us five things that cause you to be grateful.

1) Air conditioning, fans: otherwise how would we do this thing called office work in July?  I know they used to do it.  And not that long go.  But, UGH. 

When we used to go to the beach we never had AC.  We had fans, jalousie windows, and lots of 'em.  But it was the beach...you knew it would be hot...that was the deal.  And we were in bathing suits most of the day; if not, in shorts or other loose, cool clothes. 

In fact, near the beach where I grew up going is the John Gorrie Museum (Apalachicola, FL).  "Concern for his yellow fever patients motivated Gorrie to invent a method for cooling their rooms. He became a pioneer in the field of air conditioning and refrigeration by inventing a machine that made ice, and received the first U.S. Patent for mechanical refrigeration in 1851."  Office workers of the world thank you, John Gorrie! 

2) My mother, who has acquired a floppy lavender hat and is now referring to herself as "the lavender-hatted Fairy Godmother."  Sadly, I have not yet seen this hat nor seen it on my mother.  But if I have as much fun as she does at 80, I will consider my life well-lived. 

 

 

 

 

3) My husband, who is getting better all the time, and who on Monday flew to North Carolina to pick up a new motorcycle and ride it home.  He made it to our house just about 5:00 yesterday.  He is VERY TIRED and it was a very hard ride, but I'm thrilled that he felt well enough to attempt it. 

He is a dear and considerate partner.  I am very fortunate. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  My work, which affords me the opportunity to do new things in a field to which I've been devoted for a very long time.  In late July I will travel to Washington, DC to do Management Development training for NAFSA: Association of International Educators.  This is an ongoing commitment and I'm grateful to be able to rejoin the training team after a leave of absence this last year.  I'm also excited about what's new and fresh in my own office. Visit our Tumblr for more info!

 

5) My RevGals.  I still am not sure why I am so utterly dedicated to this organization, or whether my passion for the issues facing clergy, especially clergy women, means anything for my own career development, but the fact is, service to RevGals is a vocation for me.