Dear reader,
I got to play the piano for my dear friend Diane’s “lift-off” ceremony today. I got to play some of the same songs I played for my grandmother’s lift-off ceremony 10+ years ago, on the exact same baby grand piano. On Eagle’s Wings, Be Not Afraid, Song of Farewell.
If you’ve been a reader of this newsletter for a while, you’ve heard of Diane. The queen of little S’s (surprises). Letter-writer extraordinaire. God with skin on.
Diane lived a life well lived. This was especially evident by how she was surrounded by love today: her darling Bob, generations of family, friends, and community members she had poured into for many decades. She practiced hospitality through deep present moment awareness, quality time, and spotlighting beauty at every opportunity.
I have some special voice memos from Diane. No one wields language quite like her. Bless your ears and heart — take a listen:
The way will open. Always have joy, even in, as yet, undisclosed destinations. Lift your arms and hands, as though reaching for the sky. Dancing is a beautiful expression of the soul in motion.
Diane taught me so much, but, most profoundly, she showed me what it really means to have confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. To live for the hope of it all!
Heaven is opening up for her. As Diane’s granddaughter Grace says: cheers to dancing to eternity!
I feel tremendously blessed to have known her, loved her, and to have been loved by her in this life.
For Diane & to going beyond the surface,
Anjali