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Sunday, September 30, 2007
Footprints
Yesterday, I participated in a celebration for the life of my friend, Jo. Laughter, tears, sharing, laughter... Aahhhhh... Jo's laughter. Deep-belly, abundant, spontaneous, joyous, full-body, infectious, eternal.
A recording of Jo's laughter was played, and the effects spread like a wave across the room until everyone was laughing - for no reason except that Jo's true laughter is contagious. Still is. Even though she is not here in body.
Jo didn't know how to respond to rules, other than to realize that they were only someone else's idea of right, but most likely not hers.
She traveled the world. And at one point, when she was young, she was put in prison in Greece for a couple of years (for reasons that I won't tell you here), only getting out because her father pulled some political strings. Her rebelliousness contributed to a distance between her and her family, but during the last couple of years, she decided to listen and love, letting go of being right. So for her last trip, she went home to spend time with her dad and other family members. Jo told many of us that she had searched the world her whole adult lifetime for one thing - love - and only now realized that it was right here all along.
In a hundred years, no one will probably know that Jo existed. But the world will be a little different than it would've been otherwise, because she affected the lives of those around her, which will affect the lives of those around us. And on and on. That is true for all of us.
So how do you want your footprint to affect the world?
For what is it to die
but to stand naked in the wind
and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing,
but to free the breath from it's restless tides,
that it may rise and expand and
seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from
the river of silence,
shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached
the mountain top,
then shall you begin to climb.
And when the earth shall
claim your limbs,
then shall you truly DANCE!
- Khalil Gibran
but to stand naked in the wind
and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing,
but to free the breath from it's restless tides,
that it may rise and expand and
seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from
the river of silence,
shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached
the mountain top,
then shall you begin to climb.
And when the earth shall
claim your limbs,
then shall you truly DANCE!
- Khalil Gibran
Labels: Jo, legacies, photography, tribute
posted by Carol at 9:34 AM
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