Remembering a Dear Friend

This week my friend and former coworker Susan Alexander passed away. I will always cherish her kindness, wisdom, depth, sweet smile of warm welcome, and her dry, sharp wit. Though often reserved and reflective, at any moment, and usually with a straight face, an unexpected comment would cross her lips sending an entire room into uncontrollable laughter. Susan had many words of spot-on wisdom for me over the years. Perhaps no words, however, spoke as clear and true as those she shared during one of our final conversations. At the end of the call, I asked what my partner Herb and I could do for her. Her reply: "Enjoy Life!" I hold those words as both blessing and encouragement from my dear friend and pray that in this new phase of existence she too is enjoying LIFE as never before.

Wind Chimes

A friend gave me wind chimes for my birthday. With each breath of air the chimes reverberate and soothe with enchanting harmonies. My friend works for a hospice and told me the following story when I opened the gift: At a recent meeting of hospice staff, a social worker shared an insight from her pastor. He recalled a terrible storm brewing many years ago that was foreshadowed by an ominous green sky. After bringing all the animals and plants inside, he noticed a sound. The whipping wind was stirring resting wind chimes into song. It occurred to him that even in the most terrifying storm, there is still music. As soon as the social worker finished her story, a gruff doctor at the staff meeting interjected: "I just visited a 46-year-old woman dying of cancer. She has a ten-year-old son. Tell me, where's the music in that?" Across the table, a grizzled, old nurse with a raspy voice and unkempt hair, one whose very appearance exuded cynicism, immediately responded: "Doctor, you are the music."

After telling this story, my friend then said to me, "Whether you find yourself in happy times or in a terrible storm, may these chimes remind you that there is always music within you and around you."

What's the music inside that sustains you?

Where is there an opportunity for you to be life-giving music?