"Begin doing what you want to do NOW. We only have this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand-and melting like a snowflake.”—Sir Francis Bacon
As the year comes to a close and a 2018 begins, Cecile and I feel blessed for all the celebrations we enjoyed with family and friends throughout the year. The highlight was of course Michelle and Kyle getting happily married in Napa last May. It was beyond magical. And while the spotlight was on the newlyweds, Jason who officiated the wedding playing a heartfelt supporting role with humor, grace, and wisdom.
What appeared to be the low point of the year was losing my dad a week before Christmas. Yet, in many ways it was a celebration of a life well lived and brought our entire extended family closer together. One of my teachers, the late scholar and mythologist, Joseph Campbell whose wife wrote an introductory quote to a book I wrote in the 90s called Invisible Means of Support, once wrote: “Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” It sounded like such a revolutionary concept when I first read it. His point was that life does have its hardships and suggested that an individual should embrace the experience of being alive by living affirmatively even in the face of these hardships. Dad in his simple way showed us how this was done, but we hadn’t grasped it at first.
My family and I (photographed here) want to thank all of you again for reaching out with your condolences, thoughts and prayers. It was comforting and empowering. The mind is an interesting thing, it can imprison us or liberate us. When we face a challenging moment or one that is incredibly difficult, it begins to spin us out into another orbit, bringing us a mind storm of confusion, mental and emotional pain. But feeling your support and working with the breath, and grounding myself in awareness with yoga and meditation made it possible to cope with the less enjoyable bits and be fully present with the more surreal and joyful moments including watching my nieces play and enjoy Christmas Day and being loved and contained in a cocoon of a family that love them. They truly show us how to live in the moment.
So I have no great resolutions to make or offer for 2018. I will continue to Live Life Happy as the banner at poolside at Courtside Bay Club says and follow the wisdom of Sir Francis Bacon who once wrote:
"Begin doing what you want to do NOW. We only have this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand-and melting like a snowflake.”
Stay Safe! Drive Safe! Enjoy!
Postscript: A couple of the photos were taken with my nieces Ava and Emma. The photo taken of the two young girls playing with their dolls are my nieces Zaila and Mia who are the best of friends; and one with my niece Mia holding a dwarf rabbit named HOPE.❤️
