This post is about a different kind of journey, an inevitable one that is at the center of every religion and culture around the world.
It’s been nearly two weeks since the relative of someone dear to my heart passed away. It was exactly during Yom Kippur, the holiest and most solemn day for the Jews. The purpose of Yom Kippur is to bring about reconciliation between people, individuals and God. According to Jewish tradition, it is also the day God decided the fate of each human being.
It was a Sunday afternoon, the sun shined high over our heads.We said our final goodbyes during a touching and lovely Jewish service. The Rabbi performed a series of prayers and afterwards the family read a few of the deceased favorite poems. One of them was a beautiful poem by Maya Angelou.
Touched by an Angel
We, unaccustomed to courage exiles from delight live coiled in shells of loneliness until love leaves its high holy temple and comes into our sight to liberate us into life. Love arrives and in its train come ecstasies old memories of pleasure ancient histories of pain. Yet if we are bold, love strikes away the chains of fear from our souls. We are weaned from our timidity In the flush of love’s light we dare be brave And suddenly we see that love cost all we are and will ever be. Yet it is only love which sets us free.After the service, we went off on a boat on the San Diego Bay to place the remains in the calm waters of the Pacific Ocean. A truly beautiful celebration of life.
