Day 346 Evidence

November 20, 2015

(If we live with an open and grateful attitude, every day will bring a gift. This is one of 365 gifts during the year I turned 70.)

Regina died suddenly November 10. About seven years ago, David and I met her and her husband Kevin at the Baltimore Museum of Art. The museum had invited artists to respond to a piece of art in its collection. A woman slid into a seat next to us just as a quartet had started to play. Her excitement was contagious and we soon discovered her husband, who had written an original piece responding to Picasso’s Blue Nude, was playing on stage just then. I heard his music transcend several emotional layers and I invited him to participate in my Defining Ourselves photo and words project. That was the beginning of our friendship.

In 2012, I introduced them to our friends Geri and Gary who had invited us for a weekend at their Spirit Dancer lodge in the Shenandoah area of Virginia. On that Saturday, Geri took us to the top of Cocktail Hill where we embraced the beauty around us and Kevin and Regina embraced one another. I took this photo. 

Today we remembered and celebrated Regina’s life. At the service, some people spoke about their experiences in knowing her. Her love and positive outlook were common threads in all these stories. As Kevin and others performed at the repast party, her spirit infused the room. 

Spirit Dancer’s motto: Write your sorrows in sand. Carve your blessings in stone.  

Regina’s motto: Always leave evidence of love wherever you go. 

Both are good ways to live.

My gift today is a celebration.

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> Day 347: PTSD and a Parade

Video slideshow I made for Regina’s celebration
https://vimeo.com/145944826

Beautiful Shenendoah
http://sdancerlodge.com/

You can find links to my other posts on this project here:
http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html