First things first: Ketzl was just waking up as I was leaving, so by the time I got home 6 hrs later, he was pretty cranky. Cooked some asparagus and now he wants to be outside in the cool night air (and yes it is cooling off nicely). So he is fed and now out, and I check on him more frequently than I do during the daytime.
It took a non-Jew to notice that today's celebration of Linda's life was on the 18th of the month, and 18 is the Hebrew numerical equivalent of Chai, life. Thanks, Elly!
So how did it go? Ask someone who was there...and for those of you off in other parts, it was really wonderful. Thanks to my angels (Marcy, Jackie, Christine, Paula, Dana and Meeka) things went pretty smoothly. There was enough liturgy to give substance and nice Jewish feel, several wonderful tributes, some lovely music (Yesh Kochavim, see lyrics below), rousing (almost) renditions of "I Will Survive" and "We Are Family" before adjourning to the food. Lots of food. There were small candy bars on the tables. the display of many photos and a portion of Linda's hat collection. Thank you all who sent me Linda stories. I printed them out and had them in document sleeves around a table, and the guests were appreciative of your words.
I would say there were about 75 people who came, representing the various groups: Temple Emanu-El, Rainbow Women's Chorus, Silicon Valley Gay Men's Chorus, the nursery school parents (and some kids), the Jewish LGBT group, our neighbors from next-door and down the street, and a few and sundry others who don't fit neatly into a category. The flowers are exquisite. I had requested tropicals and they came through amazingly well: birds of paradise, anthurium, roses, and of course, orchids. There is so much food left over. Wonderful lunches await at the office during the week, with thanks to Costco's cheese selection!
Not surprisingly, I am really tired. Getting up at 6:30 AM courtesy of the cat was the starter. Plus it did really take a lot of work to get all the pieces together. And my car has boxes in it that await retrieval tomorrow.
So what, you may ask, is the one tihng I want to take away from tihs evening? I think how important it is to be able to cry. And cry together. Letting it out helps. Shedding tears help shed the grief, one book said. And it is a process. A journey. One foot in front of the other.
I heard Karen Armstrong interviewed on NPR this afternoon. She said she found it interesting that often, religious people are called "believers," because in her view, a truly religious person is someone who acts, rather than simply philosophising or holding on to an idea. The belief without action is empty.
So in that sense, Linda was a deeply religious person, not because of what she believed, but because hers was a life filled with acts of compassion and loving kindness.
Words to Yesh Kochavim, by Hannah Senesh
"There are stars whose light reaches earth
Only when they themselves are no more.
And there are people whose radiance illumines our memory
When they themselves are no longer in our midst.
These lights that shine in the darkest night
They light the way for humanity.”
May Linda's radiance illumine our memories and our lives. May her memory be a blessing always.
With lots of love this night from California.
