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30 April 2024, the calendar is ended.

(Last window on 25 December 2011)

Alive and Mortal Advent Calendar

Window nº 11
"While we are mourning

the loss of our friend,

others are rejoicing

to meet each other

behind the veil."

- John Taylor

What lies beyond death is a mystery to me. I suspect that it might be somewhat how scholars, teachers and philosophers imagine it to be - and yet full of surprises. No one really knows on this side of the veil.

That said, the idea that there is a host of people in some way-shape-or-form on the other side of the veil appeals to me. I choose this idea because it serves me well.

If this does not resonate with you, perhaps we all agree that connection and community makes life more supported and makes life richer. Whether or not you believe that there community after death, take this as an invitation to seek community now while you are alive. In this season, find one person that could use your hug, your hand on their shoulder, your smile. If you are really stymied on community, I invite you to email me and we will have community.

Window nº 15
"Bereavement

is the deepest initiation

into the mysteries of human life,

an initiation

more searching and profound

than even happy love."

- Dean Inge

This is a hard quote - because we like things that are warm and gratifying and delightful.

We do not like initiations.

I would not wish this initiation on anyone. Yet, it is all of our initiation, sooner or later.

The Buddhists practice a concept of "impermanence". It is a profound aspect of their system, awakening to the understanding that we - and everything - is impermanent.

You, through no choice of your own, have been ushered into a space of deep and profound experiences and questions. And you have company with many other grieving people this holiday season.

In the most profound ways, you are doing the real work of human existence.

Window nº 2
"If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together..

there is something you must always remember.

You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

But the most important thing is, even if we’re apart..

I’ll always be with you."

- Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh

It may make you disoriented, angry, depressed and/or frightened that you cared for someone and now they are gone.

But the truth is that there is still love. There is still a bond of caring and loving.

"If we are ever apart..." - we all know too well that the fact is that "We will someday be apart...".

"I’ll always be with you." This is the truth. Nothing can separate us from those we love because they are burned into out brains and souls like a branding iron.

Perhaps, today, you might look at how, when you pause to remember a good time with your beloved, your body shifts a little.

There is a little energy that comes, no mater how small or fleeting, when you recall a fond time with your loved one.

That branding iron of love leads me to ask you a question: Can you let that experience of fond memory and the idea that they are always with you inform your thoughts for a time?

It is a gift that you possess, you know. The gift of caring and bonding with another. That gift is still there for you. Even today.

What fond memory will you entertain and nurture today?

Window nº 10
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kwYmTgDpPd4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Cold in the earth—and the deep snow piled above thee,
Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave!
Have I forgot, my only Love, to love thee,
Severed at last by Time’s all-severing wave?

Now, when alone, do my thoughts no longer hover
Over the mountains, on that northern shore,
Resting their wings where heath and fern-leaves cover
That noble heart for ever, ever more?

Cold in the earth, and fifteen wild Decembers
From those brown hills have melted into spring:
Faithful indeed is the spirit that remembers
After such years of change and suffering!

Sweet Love of youth, forgive if I forget thee,
While the world’s tide is bearing me along:
Sterner desires and other hopes beset me,
Hopes which obscure, but cannot do thee wrong!

No later light has lightened up my heaven;
No second morn has ever shone for me:
All my life’s bliss from thy dear life was given,
All my life’s bliss is in the grave with thee.

But when the days of golden dreams had perished,
And even Despair was powerless to destroy,
Then did I learn how existence could be cherished,
Strengthened, and fed without the aid of joy;

Then did I check the tears of useless passion,
Weaned my young soul from yearning after thine;
Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten
Down to that tomb already more than mine.

And even yet I dare not let it languish,
Dare not indulge in Memory’s rapturous pain;
Once drinking deep of that divinest anguish,
How could I seek the empty world again?

Window nº 23
Death leaves a heartache

no one can heal,

love leaves a memory

no one can steal.

- From a headstone in Ireland

This experience is of, what I believe to be, eternal love, is yours.

Nothing can take it away from you.

Even memories of hard times and difficult moments cannot take the memories of lovingkindness from you.

This is the most precious gift of all, and it is yours for the unwrapping, anew, today.

Take time to symbolize this great gift and to revel in it. As a gravestone stands as an emblem and a marker of something important and valued, find a way today to mark how much you value this love that you carry for someone that is gone.

Window nº 16
"They that love

beyond the world

cannot be separated by it.

Death cannot kill

what never dies."

— William Penn

Hold tight to this idea if you can. That you have something that superceeds boundaries and limitations. Your heart opened to love and you embarked on a journey that cannot be ended or finished.

If love never dies...

Then your relationship is not over. It has only shape-shifted.

That force is still available to you. It never dies...

Window nº 6
"Life is eternal and love is immortal,

and death is only a horizon;

and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight"

- Rossiter Worthington Raymond

Do you dare believe that your love for your beloved who is departed is immortal?

If you are bold enough, try this one on for size today. What have you got to lose? Even if you disbelieve it, why not try the opposite for a few minutes to see what that thought is like. If you already believe it, press a bit further into this concept. Ask it to manifest itself to you today.

If love is immortal, as this author is bold to claim, then your love still lives on. If your love lives on, it gives nourishment and warmth and direction for the days ahead.

Does this seem bold? Are you willing to take a bold stance?

Window nº 8
"We must embrace pain

and burn it

as fuel for our journey"

- Kenji Miyazawa

There are hard days around the holidays, to be sure. Today may or may not be one of those days. Try and remember this saying on a hard day, whenever it comes.

The Buddhists are amazing wayshowers about pain and death.

Pain has a lot of energy. That may seem wrong, because it can make us exhausted. But it does have its own energy if you think about it.

If you accept your pain, it can give you energy, albeit fickle energy... Think of the woman that founded MAAD (Mothers Against Drunk Diving) who took the pain and burned it for her journey.

Just for that hard day - try out the belief that perhaps you can not fight your pain, but stand beside it as an ally to work with for something good.

Window nº 20
"The day which we fear as our last

is but the birthday of eternity."

– Seneca

Many grieving people have a "hole punched" in their perceptions of life. The world has taught us not to think about death, dying, loss and grief.

But confronting death is the surest way to make certain that you have the opportunity to ask hard questions -

Are we progressing towards our highest vision?

Are we loving more than we have in the past?

Are we more unconditional with our love?

Most of us are not able to answer all these questions in the affirmative.

So if not, our birthday is the day to rededicate ourselves to the real in us, with renewed vigour and renewed commitment.

Window nº 25
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If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we’re all OK
And not to worry ’cause worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I won’t be made useless
I won’t be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear
My hands are small, I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
Poverty stole your golden shoes
It didn’t steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn’t ever after
We’ll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what’s right
’Cause where there’s a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
I am never broken
In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
My hands are small I know
But they’re not yours, they are my own
But they’re not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
We are never broken
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s mind
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s heart
We are God’s eyes
God’s hands
God’s eyes
We are God’s hands
We are God’s hands

Window nº 13
"Every widow wakes one morning,

perhaps after years of pure and unwavering grieving,

to realize she slept a good night’s sleep,

and will be able to eat breakfast,

and doesn’t hear her husband’s ghost all the time,

but only some of the time.

Her grief is replaced with a useful sadness.

Every parent who loses a child finds a way to laugh again.

The timbre begins to fade.

The edge dulls.

The hurt lessens.

Every love is carved from loss.

Mine was.

Yours is.

Your great-great-great-grandchildren’s will be.

But we learn to live in that love."

— Jonathan Safran Foer

Window nº 7
God hath many mercies in store for you;

the prayer of a dying husband,

for you,

will not be lost."

- Christopher Love

In 1651, Christopher Love was executed as a martyr by the authorities as an example to dissuade the Presbyterian uprising. Love had five children, one of whom was born after his death.

Clearly he prayed for his beloved as he was executed, luckily we have this reflection in his writings that were preserved.

When our loved ones are passing, they may have seconds or minutes or hours or days or years to utter prayers. They may even not have words, they may not have brain function... but the life force that they possessed radiates loving energy.

Can you hold a bit of this prayer, this life force, this energy, this prayerful consciousness today?

Window nº 3
"When you are sorrowful

look again in your heart,

and you shall see that in truth

you are weeping for that

which has been your delight."

- Khalil Gibran

Perhaps, today, you might remember a moment connected to your beloved that made you roar with laughter.

Hold that thought about them for 1 minute and let it soak into you.

Window nº 18
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In the bleak midwinter,
frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him,
nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter
a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels
may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
thronged the air;
But His mother only,
in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him,
poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man,
I would do my part;
Yet what I can give Him: give my heart.

Window nº 22
"Oh heart,

if one should say to you

that the soul perishes like the body,

answer that the flower withers,

but the seed remains."

- Kahlil Gibran

We may have varying beliefs. That is of no matter. Most everyone can see Gibran’s wisdom, even if they interpret it a dozen different ways.

There is a seed that remains of the departed in your life.

Are you bold enough to believe that it can be nourished and grow?

I chose the cherry blossoms for this picture. The cherry blossoms are often the first flowers of spring - they show up as all the tree branches are barren and the ground is cold and dark. They herald spring.

The cycle of life and death and rebirth is a puzzle, a mystery. But could you stretch to embrace the idea that there is a seed of love left to lie dormant until the conditions are right to sprout and grow again?

Perhaps take a winter walk today and look for signs of life - and imagine the same space in spring and how it might look.

Window nº 5
"The one who has gone,

so we but cherish their memory,

abides with us,

more potent,

nay,

more present than the living."

- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Holding fond memories close and tight is very important. We may have many pleasant memories or only a handful. Even a handful is something to stop and be grateful for.

When a beloved dies, they can still abide with us, as de Saint-Exupery suggests. Our minds are such a powerful tool for keeping them close and connected to us.

Take a moment to breathe today. If all life is breath, feel yourself breathing and be in touch with a fond memory.

Window nº 9
"In the night of death,

hope sees a star,

and listening love

can hear

the rustle of a wing."

- Robert Ingersoll

The rustle of a wing is so quiet, it could be missed.

This grieving place is the place of looking for stars and listening for the subtlest of sounds.

Stars remind us that in the darkness there is an energy so strong that it can be seen from light-years away.

Wings remind us that there is air, something that we cannot actually see but can feel. That is like love. We cannot see love but we feel it.

So if the birds are held in the sky by the air, how much more so we are held by our love?

Window nº 21
Death ends a life,

not a relationship.

Window nº 19
"Pain insists upon being attended to.

God whispers to us in our pleasures,

speaks in our consciences,

but shouts in our pains.

It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

- C.S. Lewis

No matter what your beliefs - even if you do not believe in God - most will agree that the pain of grief demands our attention.

People try to drown pain out with substances, distractions and other numbing efforts. I cannot blame them, but they miss that "rousing" that opens a door.

On the other side of the door is the mystery of life waiting to be known. Love of self and it’s attendant inconveniences. It is like our heart is a wailing toddler that cannot be comforted.

That heart is a reliable messenger.

Can you stay present with that heart?

Window nº 24
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Come now, come by our side
A place where you can hide
We are the sunshine
Rest your soul here
And you’ll find
We are the energy
We give the world to thee
Hold up your heart now
We will ease pain from your brow

When the world is in tatters
And destruction is near
You can come with us here

When the people are strangers
You’ll rest here with me
In a moment of peace

Light up the dark below,
See through the stars,
Reach to the earth’s flow
Drift in the joy of our hearts,
Unleash the energy,
Taste of the wine
Drink as a soul
That knows now, power divine

In a moment of peace

Window nº 17
"We have to believe

that even the briefest of human connections

can heal.

Otherwise,

life is unbearable."

- Agate Nesaule

Nesaule lived through World War II, but as a result she lost her home in Latvia and became an immigrant — a stranger in a new land (the United States). There she was forced to cope with her exile.

We have people that have gone before us, recent people, ancestors - many who have written on how to survive and thrive after losing their home.

Often when a loved one dies, home dies with them. Our challenge is to try and discover ways to reconnect or rebuild or relocate ourselves to have home. The connection that we have with the departed can be healing here. What would they want for you? This can be your guide.

Try to do one thing that suggests home for yourself today.

Window nº 14
Give sorrow words.

The grief

that does not speak

whispers the o’erfraught heart

and bids it break.

- William Shakespeare

Can you find someone to talk to honestly about your grief during this holiday season?

It may not be someone you can sit face-to-face with. It may need to be someone online, someone on the phone or through letters.

It is important that you give your story and experience a voice. And that you have a witness. I do not know why this is true, but it is.

There is research that showed a correlation in breast cancer survivors that had better test results on their health when they were active in a support group.

It is the hard part of winter when people are busy and routines are off. It is challenging to have people close and to be honest about your journey.

Take time today to plan for time to speak your truth to someone over the next few days.

If you cannot find anyone in person or online, email me. I can help you. My email is on the day 1 slide.

Kim Go

[Re-start] [ Go to window 25]

We would be glad to accept your support for Advientos project. Thank you!

Window nº 25

If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we're all OK
And not to worry 'cause worry is wasteful
And useless in times like these
I won't be made useless
I won't be idle with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
For light does the darkness most fear
My hands are small, I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
Poverty stole your golden shoes
It didn't steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
But I knew it wasn't ever after
We'll fight, not out of spite
For someone must stand up for what's right
'Cause where there's a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
I am never broken
In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
I will get down on my knees, and I will pray
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
My hands are small I know
But they're not yours, they are my own
But they're not yours, they are my own
And I am never broken
We are never broken
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's mind
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's heart
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's eyes
We are God's hands
We are God's hands

Advientos Windows

Window nº 1 1-12-2011
Window nº 2 2-12-2011	"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together.. there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart.. I'll always be with you." - Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh It may make you disoriented, angry, depressed and/or frightened that you cared for someone and now they are gone. But the truth is that there is still love. There is still a bond of caring and loving. "If we are ever apart..." - we all know too well that the fact is that "We will someday be apart...". "I'll always be with you." This is the truth. Nothing can separate us from those we love because they are burned into out brains and souls like a branding iron. Perhaps, today, you might look at how, when you pause to remember a good time with your beloved, your body shifts a little. There is a little energy that comes, no mater how small or fleeting, when you recall a fond time with your loved one. That branding iron of love leads me to ask you a question: Can you let that experience of fond memory and the idea that they are always with you inform your thoughts for a time? It is a gift that you possess, you know. The gift of caring and bonding with another. That gift is still there for you. Even today. What fond memory will you entertain and nurture today?
Window nº 3 3-12-2011	"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." - Khalil Gibran Perhaps, today, you might remember a moment connected to your beloved that made you roar with laughter. Hold that thought about them for 1 minute and let it soak into you.
Window nº 4 4-12-2011	The lake is frozen over The trees are white with snow And all around Reminders of you Are everywhere I go It's late and morning's in no hurry But sleep won't set me free I lie awake and try to recall How your body felt beside me When silence gets too hard to handle And the night too long And this is how I see you In the snow on Christmas morning Love and happiness surround you As you throw your arms up to the sky I keep this moment by and by Oh I miss you now, my love Merry Christmas, merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, my love Sense of joy fills the air And I daydream and I stare Up at the tree and I see Your star up there And this is how I see you In the snow on Christmas morning Love and happiness surround you As you throw your arms up to the sky I keep this moment by and by
Window nº 5 5-12-2011	"The one who has gone, so we but cherish their memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery Holding fond memories close and tight is very important. We may have many pleasant memories or only a handful. Even a handful is something to stop and be grateful for. When a beloved dies, they can still abide with us, as de Saint-Exupery suggests. Our minds are such a powerful tool for keeping them close and connected to us. Take a moment to breathe today. If all life is breath, feel yourself breathing and be in touch with a fond memory.
Window nº 6 6-12-2011	"Life is eternal and love is immortal, and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight" - Rossiter Worthington Raymond Do you dare believe that your love for your beloved who is departed is immortal? If you are bold enough, try this one on for size today. What have you got to lose? Even if you disbelieve it, why not try the opposite for a few minutes to see what that thought is like. If you already believe it, press a bit further into this concept. Ask it to manifest itself to you today. If love is immortal, as this author is bold to claim, then your love still lives on. If your love lives on, it gives nourishment and warmth and direction for the days ahead. Does this seem bold? Are you willing to take a bold stance?
Window nº 7 7-12-2011	God hath many mercies in store for you; the prayer of a dying husband, for you, will not be lost." - Christopher Love In 1651, Christopher Love was executed as a martyr by the authorities as an example to dissuade the Presbyterian uprising. Love had five children, one of whom was born after his death. Clearly he prayed for his beloved as he was executed, luckily we have this reflection in his writings that were preserved. When our loved ones are passing, they may have seconds or minutes or hours or days or years to utter prayers. They may even not have words, they may not have brain function... but the life force that they possessed radiates loving energy. Can you hold a bit of this prayer, this life force, this energy, this prayerful consciousness today?
Window nº 8 8-12-2011	"We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey" - Kenji Miyazawa There are hard days around the holidays, to be sure. Today may or may not be one of those days. Try and remember this saying on a hard day, whenever it comes. The Buddhists are amazing wayshowers about pain and death. Pain has a lot of energy. That may seem wrong, because it can make us exhausted. But it does have its own energy if you think about it. If you accept your pain, it can give you energy, albeit fickle energy... Think of the woman that founded MAAD (Mothers Against Drunk Diving) who took the pain and burned it for her journey. Just for that hard day - try out the belief that perhaps you can not fight your pain, but stand beside it as an ally to work with for something good.
Window nº 9 9-12-2011	"In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing." - Robert Ingersoll The rustle of a wing is so quiet, it could be missed. This grieving place is the place of looking for stars and listening for the subtlest of sounds. Stars remind us that in the darkness there is an energy so strong that it can be seen from light-years away. Wings remind us that there is air, something that we cannot actually see but can feel. That is like love. We cannot see love but we feel it. So if the birds are held in the sky by the air, how much more so we are held by our love?
Window nº 10 10-12-2011	Cold in the earth—and the deep snow piled above thee, Far, far removed, cold in the dreary grave! Have I forgot, my only Love, to love thee, Severed at last by Time's all-severing wave? Now, when alone, do my thoughts no longer hover Over the mountains, on that northern shore, Resting their wings where heath and fern-leaves cover That noble heart for ever, ever more? Cold in the earth, and fifteen wild Decembers From those brown hills have melted into spring: Faithful indeed is the spirit that remembers After such years of change and suffering! Sweet Love of youth, forgive if I forget thee, While the world's tide is bearing me along: Sterner desires and other hopes beset me, Hopes which obscure, but cannot do thee wrong! No later light has lightened up my heaven; No second morn has ever shone for me: All my life's bliss from thy dear life was given, All my life's bliss is in the grave with thee. But when the days of golden dreams had perished, And even Despair was powerless to destroy, Then did I learn how existence could be cherished, Strengthened, and fed without the aid of joy; Then did I check the tears of useless passion, Weaned my young soul from yearning after thine; Sternly denied its burning wish to hasten Down to that tomb already more than mine. And even yet I dare not let it languish, Dare not indulge in Memory's rapturous pain; Once drinking deep of that divinest anguish, How could I seek the empty world again?
Window nº 11 11-12-2011	"While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet each other behind the veil." - John Taylor What lies beyond death is a mystery to me. I suspect that it might be somewhat how scholars, teachers and philosophers imagine it to be - and yet full of surprises. No one really knows on this side of the veil. That said, the idea that there is a host of people in some way-shape-or-form on the other side of the veil appeals to me. I choose this idea because it serves me well. If this does not resonate with you, perhaps we all agree that connection and community makes life more supported and makes life richer. Whether or not you believe that there community after death, take this as an invitation to seek community now while you are alive. In this season, find one person that could use your hug, your hand on their shoulder, your smile. If you are really stymied on community, I invite you to email me and we will have community.
Window nº 12 12-12-2011	There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning." - Thornton Wilder Love is, as most people conclude, the only thing worthwhile. You still have this love. It resides within you. In your brain, in your heart. Likely your very cells carry it, your bones carry it. In this season when people are seeking the perfect gift or the epic holiday adventure to tell their coworkers - you have this love. You are the richest of all.
Window nº 13 13-12-2011	"Every widow wakes one morning, perhaps after years of pure and unwavering grieving, to realize she slept a good night's sleep, and will be able to eat breakfast, and doesn't hear her husband's ghost all the time, but only some of the time. Her grief is replaced with a useful sadness. Every parent who loses a child finds a way to laugh again. The timbre begins to fade. The edge dulls. The hurt lessens. Every love is carved from loss. Mine was. Yours is. Your great-great-great-grandchildren's will be. But we learn to live in that love." — Jonathan Safran Foer
Window nº 14 14-12-2011	Give sorrow words. The grief that does not speak whispers the o’erfraught heart and bids it break. - William Shakespeare Can you find someone to talk to honestly about your grief during this holiday season? It may not be someone you can sit face-to-face with. It may need to be someone online, someone on the phone or through letters. It is important that you give your story and experience a voice. And that you have a witness. I do not know why this is true, but it is. There is research that showed a correlation in breast cancer survivors that had better test results on their health when they were active in a support group. It is the hard part of winter when people are busy and routines are off. It is challenging to have people close and to be honest about your journey. Take time today to plan for time to speak your truth to someone over the next few days. If you cannot find anyone in person or online, email me. I can help you. My email is on the day 1 slide.
Window nº 15 15-12-2011	"Bereavement is the deepest initiation into the mysteries of human life, an initiation more searching and profound than even happy love." - Dean Inge This is a hard quote - because we like things that are warm and gratifying and delightful. We do not like initiations. I would not wish this initiation on anyone. Yet, it is all of our initiation, sooner or later. The Buddhists practice a concept of "impermanence". It is a profound aspect of their system, awakening to the understanding that we - and everything - is impermanent. You, through no choice of your own, have been ushered into a space of deep and profound experiences and questions. And you have company with many other grieving people this holiday season. In the most profound ways, you are doing the real work of human existence.
Window nº 16 16-12-2011	"They that love beyond the world cannot be separated by it. Death cannot kill what never dies." — William Penn Hold tight to this idea if you can. That you have something that superceeds boundaries and limitations. Your heart opened to love and you embarked on a journey that cannot be ended or finished. If love never dies... Then your relationship is not over. It has only shape-shifted. That force is still available to you. It never dies...
Window nº 17 17-12-2011	"We have to believe that even the briefest of human connections can heal. Otherwise, life is unbearable." - Agate Nesaule Nesaule lived through World War II, but as a result she lost her home in Latvia and became an immigrant — a stranger in a new land (the United States). There she was forced to cope with her exile. We have people that have gone before us, recent people, ancestors - many who have written on how to survive and thrive after losing their home. Often when a loved one dies, home dies with them. Our challenge is to try and discover ways to reconnect or rebuild or relocate ourselves to have home. The connection that we have with the departed can be healing here. What would they want for you? This can be your guide. Try to do one thing that suggests home for yourself today.
Window nº 18 18-12-2011	In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, long ago. Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign. In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. Angels and archangels may have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; But His mother only, in her maiden bliss, Worshipped the beloved with a kiss. What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; Yet what I can give Him: give my heart.
Window nº 19 19-12-2011	"Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world." - C.S. Lewis No matter what your beliefs - even if you do not believe in God - most will agree that the pain of grief demands our attention. People try to drown pain out with substances, distractions and other numbing efforts. I cannot blame them, but they miss that "rousing" that opens a door. On the other side of the door is the mystery of life waiting to be known. Love of self and it's attendant inconveniences. It is like our heart is a wailing toddler that cannot be comforted. That heart is a reliable messenger. Can you stay present with that heart?
Window nº 20 20-12-2011	"The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity." – Seneca Many grieving people have a "hole punched" in their perceptions of life. The world has taught us not to think about death, dying, loss and grief. But confronting death is the surest way to make certain that you have the opportunity to ask hard questions - Are we progressing towards our highest vision? Are we loving more than we have in the past? Are we more unconditional with our love? Most of us are not able to answer all these questions in the affirmative. So if not, our birthday is the day to rededicate ourselves to the real in us, with renewed vigour and renewed commitment.
Window nº 21 21-12-2011	Death ends a life, not a relationship.
Window nº 22 22-12-2011	"Oh heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, answer that the flower withers, but the seed remains." - Kahlil Gibran We may have varying beliefs. That is of no matter. Most everyone can see Gibran's wisdom, even if they interpret it a dozen different ways. There is a seed that remains of the departed in your life. Are you bold enough to believe that it can be nourished and grow? I chose the cherry blossoms for this picture. The cherry blossoms are often the first flowers of spring - they show up as all the tree branches are barren and the ground is cold and dark. They herald spring. The cycle of life and death and rebirth is a puzzle, a mystery. But could you stretch to embrace the idea that there is a seed of love left to lie dormant until the conditions are right to sprout and grow again? Perhaps take a winter walk today and look for signs of life - and imagine the same space in spring and how it might look.
Window nº 23 23-12-2011	Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. - From a headstone in Ireland This experience is of, what I believe to be, eternal love, is yours. Nothing can take it away from you. Even memories of hard times and difficult moments cannot take the memories of lovingkindness from you. This is the most precious gift of all, and it is yours for the unwrapping, anew, today. Take time to symbolize this great gift and to revel in it. As a gravestone stands as an emblem and a marker of something important and valued, find a way today to mark how much you value this love that you carry for someone that is gone.
Window nº 24 24-12-2011	Come now, come by our side A place where you can hide We are the sunshine Rest your soul here And you'll find We are the energy We give the world to thee Hold up your heart now We will ease pain from your brow When the world is in tatters And destruction is near You can come with us here When the people are strangers You'll rest here with me In a moment of peace Light up the dark below, See through the stars, Reach to the earth's flow Drift in the joy of our hearts, Unleash the energy, Taste of the wine Drink as a soul That knows now, power divine In a moment of peace
Window nº 25 25-12-2011	If I could tell the world just one thing It would be that we're all OK And not to worry 'cause worry is wasteful And useless in times like these I won't be made useless I won't be idle with despair I will gather myself around my faith For light does the darkness most fear My hands are small, I know But they're not yours, they are my own But they're not yours, they are my own And I am never broken Poverty stole your golden shoes It didn't steal your laughter And heartache came to visit me But I knew it wasn't ever after We'll fight, not out of spite For someone must stand up for what's right 'Cause where there's a man who has no voice There ours shall go singing My hands are small I know But they're not yours, they are my own But they're not yours, they are my own I am never broken In the end only kindness matters In the end only kindness matters I will get down on my knees, and I will pray I will get down on my knees, and I will pray I will get down on my knees, and I will pray My hands are small I know But they're not yours, they are my own But they're not yours, they are my own And I am never broken My hands are small I know But they're not yours, they are my own But they're not yours, they are my own And I am never broken We are never broken We are God's eyes God's hands God's mind We are God's eyes God's hands God's heart We are God's eyes God's hands God's eyes We are God's hands We are God's hands