Dear John,

It was late and I was driving home after attending a musical performance by Lisa Fischer, one of the gifted background vocalists from the documentary film, “20 Feet from Stardom” (she’s fantastic!). I turned off the highway when a voice told me to turn left onto a back road near our neighborhood.

Following the instructions, I meandered through the woods along the river when “We Carry On” by Peter Groenwald began to play on the radio. It’s a beautiful, haunting song about life and death and it made me think of our friend, Ileen. Then, as grief will do, my thoughts extended beyond the loss of our dear friend to the fragile nature of life itself. That’s when I came to a small bridge, glanced to my left, and discovered a swan sitting in a pool of moonlight.

I pulled over and turned off the car’s engine. The swan looked like a glowing angel resting motionless in the light. As I stared at her graceful neck and downy robe, her beauty pulled me into the present moment and connected me to something timeless and universal. It felt like a spiritual intervention.

Nature has a knack for providing powerful medicine when we need it most. I sat with the swan for a while before she turned and glided into the night leaving magic in her wake. I felt a shift inside, an opening of the heart that offered a glimpse of life beyond sadness. I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks before starting the engine and gliding into the night myself.

While life will never be the same after losing someone we love, we find a way to integrate the experience. We let tears flow, hold tight to special memories, and rise again putting one foot in front of the other. We learn to carry on…

Happy Easter little bunnies. 💖

Love,
Cheryl

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