It is the second day of summer in the northern hemisphere, June 22nd, the first day when the amount of sunlight no longer increases for the longest day of 2014, the summer solstice, has passed.
In what will seem no time at all—just a jumble of days and nights—it will be the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice, followed by December 22, the first day the amount of daylight no longer decreases.
The seasons cycle as does all life on the physical plane. Some pass away and others remain longer. It is love that sustains the coming and going of life.
I made the above notes in my journal while I was at Waverly the afternoon of June 22nd. This is the first summer my dear friend, Maurya, is not here, having died this past winter. It is a lifelong habit, this marking of seasons and remembering love given and received.
It is my way of accepting that all pass away, as will I someday, and remembering that love is beyond time, form, or condition. One need only look to the light in the stars or to the shimmering light of the sun on a pond to see love expressed over and over as life.
And on this June 22nd there was something else occurring, a gathering of cyclists and walkers at 2 p.m. on the Charles River in Massachusetts. The event was Movin’ for Maurya, another celebration of her life and a fundraiser for endometrial cancer research.
Those unable to be in Massachusetts went to places they walked or cycled with Maurya or to places she knew only through pictures or conversation. Wherever we gathered, the memories of Maurya were many and rich in the equanimity and compassion that flowed so gently, so easily from her.
Each friendship was unique to her, treasured and nurtured. To have known such love in a lifetime is to feel invincible, awash in waves of unconditional love. On many occasions it has nearly brought me to my knees for the sheer wonder of it.
And for me, not surprisingly, it is at Waverly that Maurya seems so near, although she knew Waverly only through the pictures and posts on this blog. But then, Waverly is like stepping out of time and into the endless energy of existence.
We are here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness.
~Thich Nhat Hanh~
The oneness of existence is beyond this body, this I that experiences life on the physical plane, one of seamless sensations, boundless as the breeze upon my face. On this physical plane love announces itself as sight and sound, as touch and taste, a heady aroma this experience of existence.
It is just after 2 p.m. when the goslings and their parents slip into the waters of Waverly as I look to the northeast and to the Charles River. Endless existence washes over me in waves of gratitude that is no less than the light in the stars.
On some nights, it seems the stars wink in recognition. Perhaps they do for one day I, too, will be among the energy of existence as are those who I loved and who loved me during our shared experience on the physical plane.
Occasionally, I have thought our time together too brief but then I remember that I am not separate but one with existence beyond form, dimension or condition. I look to the light in the stars and sometimes, I wink back.
KM Huber's Blog 
I see people I love pass on and I do believe they’re heading into a new adventure–just one I cannot yet share. And yet, I see the fear in their faces until the very end. Fear, then peace. So much to think about in this post–beautifully written.
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Maurya and I had long discussions about leaving the physical plane and that existence is endless, perhaps in different dimensions or forms but eternal. She left the physical plane very peacefully and quietly, which is how she lived. It is staggering when we think about it, isn’t it? Thanks, Kay.
Karen
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“And for me, not surprisingly, it is at Waverly that Maurya seems so near,” you write. Interesting that “nearness” has a meaning far beyond the physical, isn’t it?
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Yes, Ann. It is as if nearness becomes always everywhere if I am aware. For me, it is quite powerful. Thanks, Ann.
Karen
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A wonderful post – a wonderful way of remembering your friend. As always, you run to the heart of what is important for us all.
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Thanks, Matthew. As much as I miss her physical presence, there is such a sense of her being everywhere and all I have to do is be aware. The two are not the same, of course, yet that I can know both is, for me, remarkable.
Karen
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What a beautiful recognition of your friend and her place in your life through your meditation on the impermanence of all of life, Karen! Thanks for sharing this with all of us.
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Glad you enjoyed the post, Kenetha! Thank you.
Karen
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Karen, you have such a gentle, tangible way of expressing life I feel as if the resonance of your song transports me to these moments, and the awareness you share. Waves of Waverly, of your wise eyes and old soul reflections are so rich I often come back to read posts again… slowly… and feel the timber of your songs. They are love. How amazing to feel the healing power of love’s words resonating through my soul.
I have so many hugs for you I hope you feel wrapped in their gratitude when you find this note.
~Meredith
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I do feel it, Meredith, as I read your note at a particularly poignant moment of life playing out. You remind me that love supports us through every moment we have, if we will just be one with it. Your beautiful words are such a song.Thank you, Meredith.
Karen
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This post is one I want to reread. Maybe someday soon you will put your posts into book form so we can appreciate them away from the computer. Here, I’m reminded of how close we are to death every day, and to accept this sense of impermanence with joy for the moment is a continuing lesson you bring here so beautifully. Thank you.
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Honestly, Beth, that book project fluctuates with my energy but I am determined to put together a “small” book of reflections. Please know how much energy you give me in just mentioning it. I really appreciate your comment.
Karen
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Karen, where and what is Waverly? It seems like you may have mentioned it before. My wife and I lived in Boston decades ago; it may be someplace we have been. PS: loved your last line about winking back!
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Waverly is local to us, Craig, a pond and park whose pictures I feature almost weekly. Maurya and I grew up in Wyoming. Eventually, both of us moved East, she to the north and I to the south. She and her partner of thirty years really enjoyed living in Boston. And, I really do wink back! Thanks, Craig.
Karen
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Beautiful.
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Thanks and thinking of you.
Karen
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Amen Karen. I believe this as well–and I often think life goes by too quickly. Wait, slow it down! It is just that I love this planet and the life that teems here. I believe there is something that follows life. I only hope it smells as good as a rose, tastes as good as chocolate and feels as real as holding someone in my arms.
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Amen, Adrian. I am with you!
Karen
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