Sharing Love and Strength ...in Sherry's name

For the love of running...for the love of life.

On this day, February 11, 2012, at 9 a.m. MST (which was 8 a.m. PST), people all over the world energetically gathered together with the intention of honoring Sherry Arnold through movement. Sherry is the cousin of my friend, Beth, who writes the blog Shut Up and Run. She was a mother, wife, and school teacher...loved by many. She went out for a run one morning in early January and did not come home.

After discussing what this event was about and what it meant, my family decided to come along with me. None of us can imagine the feelings of pain and loss that Sherry's family must be experiencing. We all wanted to do something toward their healing and the healing of the greater community by showing our love and support. 

We walked quietly and thoughtfully out of our neighborhood and over to the water to have a moment of silence and then begin the event...

The boys were uncharacteristically not loud.

Once we got to the water, Big G started some whiny, selfish b.s. about how unfair it was that we had to do this at such an 'early' hour. "In Washington D.C. it's 11 o'clock...why couldn't we just do this at 11 o'clock?" I explained two things to him:

1. the idea was to have a collective energetic intention of honoring and remembering...and the closest everyone came to participating at the same time, the more that power would be felt. Yes, we could do it later, but we had the time and the space in our day to do it then...and so that was how we were going to do it.
2. we don't always get to pick the time something happens. Handling 'inconveniences' that mean a tremendous amount to other people is part of living a generous and loving life. The more grace and kindness we can infuse into our challenges, the better life will feel to both ourselves and those around us. And I related an anecdote about my own father's death that really seemed to hit home with him.

He went off by himself to mull over all of these heavy thoughts. And the other kids went down to the water, lost in exploring and living life. It was a beautiful, if melancholy grey morning. The sun was streaming through the clouds in such a hopeful way...

...and the sky was clearing...

Big G finished his mini-sojourn, returned to my side, gave me a huge hug and apologized for being selfish. We walked holding hands for a good ways. As I felt the warmth and trust and love of his grip and watched my younger three children examine and ponder rocks and shells and feelings and life, I reflected on Sherry and her family. She has brought out so much love in people, both in her life and in her passing. Though I never knew her, I can feel the strength of her giving, soulful being. And her death, though horrific and tragic, leaves me feeling neither fearful nor destroyed but, perhaps oddly, even more open and hopeful than I have ever been. 

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