"When I think of our sojourn
On this earthly plane,
I think of you, Great Spirit,
As you enter my world
Daily in the morning light,
Bringing life to the flowers
And all that lives.

When I think of your passing,
My dear friend,
I think of your light
As it illuminated my spirit
All the days of your life.

And when you left me and went on
Into the arms of the Great Spirit,
I cried in grief,
Forgetting that
You had simply moved
From my earthly vision.
I am in pain because I miss you so.
I miss being able to reach out and touch you.

And yet, when I close my eyes,
You are inside of me,
You are forever within me,
And as I look at the setting sun,
I am reminded
Of the brilliance of your walk on this earth,
And how you illuminated
Those around you.
You were a prime mover for me.
You made me circle the truth
And stand in the center,
And I am grateful always for how
You stood strong with me.

I honor you always,
And I hope that you felt
That respect and joy in your lifetime -
How you filled me
With peace and strength.
Surely, without you,
I could not have walked
My path of wisdom.
Because of your passing to the other side,
I realize more than ever
That we are all one.
And because of your oneness with all that is,
I even more fully sense
My oneness on this earth walk.

When I smell the beautiful roses,
I know you live
Within the scent.
When I feel the gentle rains
Coming from the clouds,
I know it is the essence of your spirit
I feel on my skin.
When the wind blows
And I feel it caressing my cheek
Like fine silk,
I know it is you.

Thank you, Great Spirit,
For this process of life and death.
It enobles us beyond
Our distinction as human beings.
We become gods;
We become you,
And I walk in the beauty
All the days of my life,
Knowing that you are within me. Ho!"
Author: Lynn V. Andrews --Dedicated to my Uncle Charlie who served his country honorably on Hamburger Hill in Vietnam and has passed onto the other side of existence where he is sure to find peace in the Lord's hands! Nancy Jane Hancock Bezanson II