At the beginning of yoga class began last week, our teacher invited us to say a little about transitions and how that might be playing out in our lives. Although each of us had something different to contribute, that summer had ended and fall had begun was definitely a common theme.
It was a wonderful, varied, invigorating class so when it came time for savasana, I gratefully sank into “corpse pose,” the traditional ending to every yoga class, with every muscle in my body relaxed and my eyes closed.
Well, almost every muscle. Because as I lay there on my mat, aware of only my breath and the quiet, a set of hands firmly but gently pushed my shoulders against the mat as if to say: “You’re still holding onto some tension, there. Here! Let me help you release it.” And then, almost as though there had been a second pair of hands it happened so fast, a folded blanket perfectly cradled my head.
Here’s the thing: While I knew it had been Annie, my teacher, who’d performed these kindnesses, I had the eyes-shut-tight vision that, indeed, I was on my death bed and that someone, a daughter, perhaps, had eased my burdens and calmed my mind as I moved towards The Big Transition: my death.
Does that sound morbid? It hasn’t felt so. All week I’ve been grateful to be reminded that my remaining years on this precious earth, like the hairs on my head, are numbered.
Dear Patricia,
Hi, there, Patricia! Wow, Sister, wow! What a very beautiful and lovely blog post article in which you have written, as well as your other ones with such descriptive creativity and clarity! I love this! I could just envision how you made such a spiritual connection with Spirit and embraced the beauty of the day when you will joyfully cross over to our Heaven being enfolded in the loving embrace of your blanket by Annie in the yoga class, but Annie’s loving gesture symbolizing how your dearest family will love you at that time of passing. What a beautiful and magnificent image of how you welcome and with faith embrace that day of entering Heaven at some point in the future. I could just envision myself doing the same things-with courage and complete faith and trust in our Spirit passing over from this temporary life into a Perfect and Peaceful, Loving, and Safe Heaven. I could just imagine from your glorious image you received from your yoga class how my process and journey into Heaven can be envisioned now in my life, and what it will actually be like for me when the time comes! Patricia, it is so cool and great that you do yoga! I wish that I could do yoga, but with my physical disabilities I cannot, and I am a larger woman who is not in the best of physical fitness shape which prevents me from being able to do yoga. Yoga sounds so cool and splendid, absolutely fantastic and fabulous, Patricia! My numerous white sisterfriends do yoga and love yoga the same way in which you do, Patricia! I love and cherish my white friends and sisters so, so very much with all of my heart for they are my heart-my very heart! They are my eternal blessings!
My precious white Sister, Patricia, I just so love the title of this great blog post article, “…Hallelujah by and by.” I feel like rejoicing with you, Sister, and with each and every one of our other sisters and brothers as our Dearest and Darling God’s Children in loving, praising, and worshiping our God and Creator. Our days are indeed so blessedly numbered, and we will for sure for always have an infinite number of days in our Joy and Bliss in our Heaven. I, too, love how the very hairs on our head our numbered so lovingly by Spirit because we are so loved, ,cherished, and considered very special by Spirit. I, too, pray and meditate, and I can tell when I am still holding on to tension and need to as best as I can let go and release that tension. I must to the best of my ability Let Go and Let God. Our Great, Good, Powerful, and Sweet God will for sure for always then come through for me, and indeed for all of us as God’s children. Patricia, you are such a good woman of our God and a dearest sister Christian woman to me and to your readers and others! Your powerful and inspiring Christian witness just uplifts me and blesses me a whole bunch! I grow as a Christian because of you, Sister, and your blessed blog post articles and website, and prayers! I have such joy, blessings, and pleasure visiting your wonderful blog post website, and responding to your very excellent and fine articles!
My dearest and precious Christian white sister, Patricia, please have a very nice, special, and a very blessed Wednesday! I for always keep you and your dearest and beloved family, and those precious ones at your Quaker meeting, in my heart, thoughts, and prayers daily and often! I thank all of you for thinking of me and praying for me in keeping me covered in prayers! I can feel the loving, caring, and sensitive thoughts and prayers coming from all of you! Thank-you!
Very Warmly and Sincerely Always,
Your Christian lesbian black sister in solidarity, Sherry Gordon