Steven Jenkinson also reflects, “Grief is not a feeling. Grief is a skill, and the twin of grief as a skill of life is the skill of being able to praise or love life, which means wherever you find one, authentically done, the other is very close at hand. Grief and the praise of life, side by side.”
In his last days, Gerry sought the meaning of his life, to map the journey he had taken through the world. We all knew Gerry’s kindness and quiet joy, the intelligence and deep friendship he shared with us all and the wonderful impact he made on our lives. Yet it seemed to me that Gerry wanted to analyze his life systematically, like studying chemistry, observing a rock, and making a note for himself about what he had discovered. In his last days, Gerry grieved and started reflecting on his life’s journey, allowing compassion for himself to celebrate his life, praise life, as equally as he grappled with finding a way to mourn his ending. Gerry was very courageous and committed in this way, while subtly revealing more and of his innate sense of joyfulness, his unique wonderful ability to appreciate life inside of himself and in the world, in all their glory and magnificence.
Here, I would like to share eight blessings from the Beatitudes in our Bible, known as the Sermon on the Mount:
The Beatitudes
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Gerry shared with me that he always loved wilderness camping, especially canoe trips. We talked about how, on this trip, our life is dependent on the others we share the canoe with; that image of the canoe made a lot of sense and gave comfort and understanding to Gerry. Our life is dependent on those who are with us. A canoe is the world we live in! Gerry loved solitary or intimate trips because putting ourselves in nature, alone, having an ultimate dependence on the environment and the people we share our lives with is a spiritual experience. In nature, in the wilderness, regardless of whether you’re on foot or in a canoe, you move at the pace the land or the water allows you to go, and the peace of that pace, that place, surpasses any need to exert our willpower to control our surroundings; the fact that we exist there is enough. Listening to the forest, you become part of what you see; rocks and sky become part of you, who witness their magnificence. There’s no shadow; you are the hero. Just watching, observing, you see how God works in all things, provides all things, like the unmoved mover, and in that moment, you understand that you are precious, invaluable, a hero, as all beings which envelop you in that pure peace are heroes in their lives … and the mystery of life flows like a hidden river, the streams flow fresh and renewed, unknown by anyone but nature’s stubborn residents, the moose, the rabbits, the beavers, the great horned owl.
We miss you, Gerry. May God’s quiet and eternal joy guides you gently to a world of enlightenment and love, which the eternal spirit knows and which we will all return to in our last days, both bound and blessed by our mortality. Blessed are you, Gerry, who has gone before. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
Ha Na Park
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