Dear ,
John passed away in his sleep on Wednesday night, September 29th. He was 79 years old.
I was able to spend his last days by his side, holding his hand, and speaking softly to him. On his last evening, I was lying by his side, softly singing our love songs to him. Although he could not move or communicate anymore, he was calm and peaceful.
The next day, a wonderful poem by Khalil Gibran appeared magically in my inbox. It reflects so well what he would have said that I want to share it with you.
It is said that before entering the sea
a river trembles with fear.
She looks back at the path she has traveled,
from the peaks of the mountains,
the long winding road crossing forests and villages.
And in front of her,
she sees an ocean so vast,
that to enter
there seems nothing more than to disappear forever.
But there is no other way.
The river can not go back.
Nobody can go back.
To go back is impossible in existence.
The river needs to take the risk
of entering the ocean
because only then will fear disappear,
because that’s where the river will know
it’s not about disappearing into the ocean,
but of becoming the ocean.
John has now returned to the great silence, he has become the ocean.
John's body will be cremated and his ashes will be spread in the Ojai Valley, the place that he loved most in the world. There will be a service in his memory in Ojai and also a live online gathering to celebrate his life. I will send you more information when the dates are defined.
Thank you, as always, for your presence here and for your support from near and far.
Carla
