The reasoning behind posting this photo is fairly convoluted: Back in July at the Reading Buddhist Priory, at Ian and Rachel’s wedding, I met Rachel’s dad…see posting for July 21st. (I will always remember the softening of his face as he watched his daughter make her vows.) A couple of days ago I found out, by chance, that the dad is seriously ill in hospital. The truth of impermanence is ever present, sometimes it shouts in your face.
Ian and Rachel keep these cute little critters in their kitchen. Photo posted and merit offered for Rachel’s dad and their extended family.
The source of my information was dated November.
What a great start to my morning, seeing lovely Emily’s face, both in reality and in cyberspace, thank you very much!
This is Rachel btw, and yesterday (Friday 6th) was the day I took my father’s picture off my shrine, as sadly he died in November. I appreciate the conincidence -I don’t pretend to understand the death process, but I’m pleased for the bits that were Dad, that they’ve received an extra blast of merit! When you were kind enough to pass on what you had seen in at our wedding, there was a real sense at the time of something coming full circle. Which needless to say I didn’t really appreciate at the time, but now it means so much. We were able to spend a lot of time with dad when he was dieing, he’d had a bad fall, and knocked his head so much, that the brain was too bruised too survive. So there came the point where his life support was turned off, and we had to wait. Naturally there was a lot of shock, anger and grief around, but in between all of that there was more peace! What a blessing, in one year, my dad was able to share my wedding with me, and I was able to share peace with him.
thank you, in gassho, Rachel
How about THAT then! For the Wednesday class here at the Priory I’d read the interview that Ian had done with Rev. Olwen, published in the RBP Newsletter. We talked about ‘letting go’ and the difficulties people were facing and how death in the family can be a wake up call to redouble ones efforts.
My thoughts are with you Rachel as you settle and continue with your life. Love to the squidgy pigs too! Oh, and hi to Ian too of course.