The middle, the center, the heart: where all things come into sharp focus; where all truths lie, even the unfathomably painful ones.
A family I love is dealing with heartbreaking truth, and I am struggling with what to offer up, besides the sadness I keep in check.
So if I may ask a little something of you?
If you feel so inclined, will you please leave your words of love and support for Sandra and her family- I know that so many of us have dealt with unearthly pain and loss–and may just have something that will add light to a situation with some of the darkest clouds I’ve seen in a while.
From my heart–from the center of me…thank you.
Sending you peace and comfort on your journey. Know that love surrounds you and beauty is everywhere. You are loved.
She is unbelievably loved…a remarkable woman. Thank you Minetta.
Sending love and light to help your friend find peace during this difficult time… And sending you hugs for the pain of loss, and strength to continue your loving support. Thinking about you both… and wishing we could all just live forever.
Thank you Becca…I can feel your support for everyone involved.
Though we are strangers, my friend, I am thinking of you. You are not alone in this.
Thank you for your words (and your heart) for my friend, Sandra.
My dear friend Britton – my hearts aches for all of you and I can only imagine the sadness you are all going through. About15 years ago, when my soulmate/best friend passed I remember thinking, “how lucky am I to have had such a remarkable person in my life. Not everyone knew David, but he loved me almost as much as I loved him.” that bought me some comfort that the universe loved me enough to have given me such a wonderful soul to watch over me and I know he does it to this day. So I hope you can somehow embrace the fact about how lucky you are to have such a friend. Just knowing you from our little FB group, I know how lucky I am to have you in my life. Peace and love to you and your loved ones. elizabeth xx
Thank you, Elizabeth – your caring means so much.
May the light of our universe warm your heart and its energy heal your wounds. Do not dwell for long on the pain so that you can rejoice the joyful memories with our loved ones. Live life with zest, joy, and love so there will be no regrets in the end.
Thank you, George–I know that your beautiful words come from a deep well of experience, and from your boundless love.
How sad Britt. Wish I had a magic answer for you. Certainly sending you all the peace you need. Keep breathing deep.
Yet another reminder to enjoy every day. Enjoy every moment you get with loved ones.
Thanks for the opportunity to live this mantra to the fullest extent possible.
Thank you, Phil. Seeing Sandra with her girls has been a great joy–she is a peaceful, loving person who always has their best interests at heart.
Deep peace of the running waves to you…
Deep peace of the silent stars…
Deep peace of the flowing air to you…
I don’t pray for deep peace of the quiet Earth. I pray
for the music to be rebirthed, released, returned
to its source.
May peace… may peace… and music fill your soul.
Let peace… let peace… and music make us whole.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0ApvHVFIVw
Debra, so beautiful it brought tears. Thank you so much.
Hi Britton– unsure of whether your friend has died yet or not…but what I know and have to share is that although losses are hard on those of us living on, release is a blessing. Release is about freedom from suffering, getting to lay the burden now, close the eyes, and drift away. Many of us give tirelessly to those we love while they are suffering, forgetting to love and nurture ourselves through all of it. I believe we often get things out of order; we have to tend to ourselves, comfort ourselves over a loss, be on duty to ourselves. We women set ourselves aside; it comes naturally. But with immense consequences, and an emptying, I think. Love, Jenne’
Hello Jenne. Sandra lives with great pain: inoperable tumors, rare and seemingly indestructible. She received word today, as did her husband and children, that keeping her comfortable now, as much as possible, is the best they can hope for.
Thank you for your kind words. My pain is acute, but theirs is surely unrelenting–as they have two young children.
Sandra – you’ve been blessed with an angel on earth. Britt loves with a ferocity, depth and compassion and you have no doubt experienced this. That she loves easily is only a testament to her generous soul. May you and she continue to feel your bond of love and friendship – always.
Carole, your kind words are loving, comforting, and kind. Thank you.
I wish we’d managed to meet already so I could drive down to Dana Point and give you a great big healing hug. I don’t know if this helps, but when I’ve been in the pits of mourning/grief/despair, it’s the friends who don’t jump in with me who provide me the most comfort. Honor your pain.
Well, by now we are strangers no longer, so I’ll take you up on that hug. Let’s take the dog(s) for a hike when you get a break from LYB. 🙂
Trust that you have done as much Goodness as you could have to the people in need. Trust that you have done enough in this world. Save the last few moments for your loved ones, and the end for yourself. The pain is part of you, but not the whole of you. Love yourself till the end. Love yourself in your world till the end. You are a good you. You are a wonderful you.
If you own a religion, have faith that your God(s) will show up. There must be something good beyond.
If you don’t, know that you have shown up for yourself. You have stuck by yourself. Whatever happens afterwards would not matter any more. You have been strong. You have been loving.
You have been a precious you.
(Sending my very best to Britton and her friend’s family as well.)
Thank you, Claudine. Your thoughts are wise, sensitive, practical, kind, loving, and brilliant.
Love lives on, and is felt in a real way.
Yes, Catherine, yes it does, and boldly so! Thank you for visiting.
One of my dad’s last words can be loosely translated to, “I did what I came for.” I wish for Sandra to be able to say that, and I thank her for reminding me to keep it in mind.
Thank you Peter. She has loved well-that I can see in her beautiful, thoughtful, energetic, inquisitive daughters.
My heart breaks for you and for that sweet family that will feel her physical loss from their daily world. All I can offer is what I’ve found to be true in my own life. Love cannot be severed by death. We are all spiritual beings having a human experience and our bodies are nothing more than vehicles to carry that spirit around. When they can no longer serve that purpose we cast them aside and our spirit is released, but it never leaves those it is connected to through love. Never stop talking to Sandra. She will always be nearby and will always watch over her loved ones.
A book that has helped me tremendously is “Many Lives, Many Masters,” by Brian Weiss. Know that you’re in my thoughts. Love, Jayne
Jayne, thank you -these are masterful, truth-resounding words that I will share and cherish. Thank you
The sorrow of losing someone dear to me always brings me back to this poem by Mary Oliver.
The Summer Day
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean —
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down —
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
This is so beautiful that I now have a giant, appreciative, emotional lump in my throat. Beautiful, Deborah. Thank you for sharing, for supporting, for loving from afar, dear friend.
Love, pain, loss, joy… We all experience it as a universe….I don’t need to meet Sandra face to face to know what she’s going through,just coming to this page I feel her pain, the deep sorrow her family feels as they embrace her last days.But what I feel stronger than the pain of loss, is LOVE! Sandra has given so much love to the world, she glows… There is a light that surrounds her that can only be experienced when one has a loving soul. Sandra has spread love and light to the universe and it is coming back to embrace her, to swaddle her and her family in these final days… But you know, final is only a word that describes her physical body… It has just begun again…Because Sandra has given a gift to those around her, she leaves an infectious legacy of love and light that will continue to shine bright…the universe will glow brighter with the presence of a pain free angel <3
Kim, thank you for your love and support. I know that you have a large store of experience to draw on, and I appreciate you sharing it here with such warmth.
My thoughts are with Sandra, her family, and her friends. It is another painful reminder to cherish what we have, and make the most of every day, of every moment.
Yes, Tami. Big changes afoot in the stress category. The time to cherish our loved ones is always NOW.
I have 3 things to say that may uplift you all……………
#1. Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, its about learning to dance in the rain.
#2. If God is your co-pilot, . . . . . . . . . . . . swap seats!
#3. The task ahead of you is never as great as the power behind you.
Thank you Brent.
“There is never a loss in life, only a gain; to know someone, for even a short time, is always a blessing.”
Though this family’s time together here is much too short, it is clear from your words, Britt, that Sandra has left an indelible mark of love on the hearts and lives of many, most importantly her husband and children. In this way, Sandra will always be with them; they will always be together.
My sincerest wishes to Sandra and her family for comfort, peace, and relief from physical and emotional pain.
Yes, “indelible” is exactly the effect the Swinglers make!
Oh, Sandra, and Britton. It is beautiful to she such deep love and appreciation for a friend so close! I feel for Sandra and her family and what they are going through. On one hand they don’t want to see her in such pain and misery and on the other, they don’t want to lose her. Although I don’t know Sandra, I wish that the light she bears will bless her and her family in these last days.
Thank you my dear dear friend!
Dear Sandra, I cannot imagine what you are going through at this moment, and I pray for you and for your family. It must be so hard to let go and say farewell.
Uvi…thank you for your kind words for Sandra. I wish she could know you, see how your heart pours out through your art and your relationships.
What a thoughtful thing to do…I’m taking a moment right now to send healing, prayerful thoughts for Sandra and her family.
Thank you, Victoria!
What amazing responses to a heartfelt post. This gave me pause to reflect on the incredible impact that Sandra has had on those she has met, and how profoundly she touches the hearts of those people. It is truly a gift.
Yes, Sandra is an angel on earth…as you know.