From The Sublime to Supercalifragilistic!!

  So Much LIFE in One Little Weekend.

Yesterday’s gorgeous, elegant wedding at the Seattle Four Seasons Hotel was filled with refined beauty, music motifs, string quartet escorts to the altar,  jazz band music to get the party started, soft glowing candles and blue and white shades of flowers, dresses, suits and even gentle clouds lacing the late afternoon sky over the calm waters of the Salish Sea.  The groom is a jazz musician and his bride, from Montana, had blue jean jackets with sparkling fringe for her bridesmaids and herself. So much creativity, fun and tender nods to dear ones who were missed and remembered.

It was an honor to officiate and guide Trevor and Megan  through their commitments and to welcome them into married life. They had invested in a series of Couples Counseling sessions with me during their wedding planning season and I was so touched by their sincerity and willingness to learn and refine their connection and communication skills and deepen their ability to navigate all the big and little dynamics that are part of married life.   

It is so wonderful to welcome a couple to their wedding ceremony when I have gotten to know them, and have deep respect for their genuine understanding of all that committed partnership and marriage require.  You are well prepared for the journey and adventure ahead Trevor and Megan. 

We ended the ceremony with a surprise gift bag of goodies for their Honeymoon in Canada.  As a proud Canadian, I felt it was my duty to ensure they had a few authentic Canadian snacks to introduce them to all things Canadian. She loves potato chips so received Ketchup flavored ones.  He has a knack for getting super excited at the drop of a hat so received Canada’s version of M&M’s called Smarties, since a box full of sugar is the perfect treat for someone who needs high octave excitement juice.  There were even Canadian Bacon flavored, made in Canada, hand delivered from helpful Canadian strangers, dog treats for their beloved pup, Stella who was not going on the honeymoon and deserved her own stay at home goodies. 

Congratulations to this sweet couple and their fur child and blessings on a long and truly happy marriage. 

Flash forward to the next day and it is time for a Celebration of Life party for  Margaret, a Beloved Mother to Lauren & Anna and grandmother to Autumn, sister, aunt, wife and friend to a huge community who adored her.  Margaret lived her life with such love, creativity and gusto that when she died suddenly and unexpectedly she left her Loved Ones reeling. And yet, even in their shock and grief, her beautiful daughters committed themselves to sending their mom off in a style worthy of who she is and has been in so many peoples’ lives.

I was asked to guide our group through the ceremony of remembrance where we welcomed tears, grief in all its expressions, acknowledged the impossible and unanswered questions of WHY? Why her? Why this way? Why now when she had so much more life to live? And WHERE? Where is Margaret now? How do we keep her with us and also allow her to travel on her journey into the realms beyond this life.  We concluded our service with beautiful love letters from Margaret’s daughters Lauren & Anna, filled with gratitude and commitments to live on in her honor and to carry her crazy, loving spirit with them in their own lives. 

Having shed tears and held hands, passed around tissue boxes and walked down the memory lane of Margaret’s quite extraordinary life of love, joy, kindness, compassionate service and quirkiness now it was time to raise the roof and live on in Margaret’s memory and do her proud. 

Out came the wigs, and hats, and crazy sunglasses and even feather boas.  Out came selfie sticks with crazy head shots of Margaret for photo ops,  an endless loop slide show that was lifelong evidence of a bright, beautiful and larger than life soul and even rubber chicken sling shots that started flying around the room. 

 Story time commenced and one by one, from precious young granddaughter, Autumn, wise beyond her years at six, helping us all remember that her beloved grandmother is still with us. More sharings from siblings, friends, daughters coming up to share a moment or way that M touched their lives. One of her daughter’s shared a story about her Mom wearing a green hair wig on an airplane flight. As she recounted her experience with her daughter afterward she said, “everyone ignored me like they just could not dare to acknowledge me.  Only one person said anything and it was a child. “What’s with the green hair?”  Such was Margaret’s delight in conducting social experiments and getting up to good shenanigans. 

And then it was time for dancing.  Margaret loved to dance and even had a recording of Creedence Clearwater Survival and the Rolling Stones that she would listen to and dance to in her home, even teaching her dog how to dance with her. 

We gathered in a circle and when the tunes came on there was an instant explosion of delight and a mad ruckus of romping around.   

I hope when it is my turn to depart from this world that I too will have such a celebration.  

This quote, by Hunter S. Thompson, read by her daughter Lauren says it all!!!

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

Thank you Anna Lauren and especially Margaret for the honor and delight of being part of your celebration. I may have been the only one in the room upon arrival who had not met Margaret in person however I left feeling like she was an amazing friend that I will look forward to meeting on the other side.