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I’ve been having a hard time writing about our travels lately – I feel in and out of focus, sad about being away from Homer for Gaye’s memorial on Sunday. Rika and Sam asked me to write a eulogy. I’ve never done anything like this before and its very hard. I’m still in shock over her sudden departure. I feel badly and a bit disoriented being away from Homer. I think of what Gaye would want at this time. I know that Gaye respected family tremendously; she loved and longed for the family unit. She adored Jake. And because she was just his age when her parents passed, she truly supported our road trip. She was pleased and excited. I feel she would have wanted us to persist. I am comforted by the fact that we had a chance to say goodbye , to tell her at her bedside before we departed how much we love her. At Alaska Regional ICU, Michael, Jake and I started a book for people to write prayers in, something we envisioned her reading as she recovered.
But now, suddenly time has hurled forward and she is far ahead of us. Gaye lived like a comet. She burned bright and strong. She made herself into a light and brightened and strengthened our little hamlet in a special way. A person who had almost no family, she cultivated our community as if everyone was related. She made a family of friends. Between her many profound commitments, to Bunnell, to the Pratt, to ARTrageous Homer, to Public Art, to the diverse and wonderful creativity of our community, She truly nurtured and fostered, labored and mothered our hamlet.
To me, Gaye was more than a friend and mentor, she truly was family. She loved and advised and confided and counseled and watched over me. Sometimes it drove me crazy. Initially when we began working together, when she joined Bunnell’s Board, I had more family in town than most. I was overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for so much extended family, for a young child and growing Bunnell Street Arts Center. I felt at that time my energy and inspiration were finite, that I had to choose between how much I could give versus how much I needed to sustain myself. From Gaye, I learned that the solution is to give more, to be bigger, braver and more generous. Her respect for family and her ethic of giving softened and stretched me. She taught me that if you give 100% you’ll get back a million.
Homer is going through a lot these days – that’s how we are. Exposed like our landscape, at the edge of our comfort, a bit weather beaten. It is hard to be away from Homer at this time, a time when need to stand close together. I would like to be standing with those who are grieving, at a time when the love in our community is so needed and so evident. Now, as I try to make sense of her timing, I’m certain that was intentional. She chose to cross the great divide, to bring us together precisely now, to remind us of our strengths, to remind us to feel our love and celebrate it.
But now, suddenly time has hurled forward and she is far ahead of us. Gaye lived like a comet. She burned bright and strong. She made herself into a light and brightened and strengthened our little hamlet in a special way. A person who had almost no family, she cultivated our community as if everyone was related. She made a family of friends. Between her many profound commitments, to Bunnell, to the Pratt, to ARTrageous Homer, to Public Art, to the diverse and wonderful creativity of our community, She truly nurtured and fostered, labored and mothered our hamlet.
To me, Gaye was more than a friend and mentor, she truly was family. She loved and advised and confided and counseled and watched over me. Sometimes it drove me crazy. Initially when we began working together, when she joined Bunnell’s Board, I had more family in town than most. I was overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for so much extended family, for a young child and growing Bunnell Street Arts Center. I felt at that time my energy and inspiration were finite, that I had to choose between how much I could give versus how much I needed to sustain myself. From Gaye, I learned that the solution is to give more, to be bigger, braver and more generous. Her respect for family and her ethic of giving softened and stretched me. She taught me that if you give 100% you’ll get back a million.
Homer is going through a lot these days – that’s how we are. Exposed like our landscape, at the edge of our comfort, a bit weather beaten. It is hard to be away from Homer at this time, a time when need to stand close together. I would like to be standing with those who are grieving, at a time when the love in our community is so needed and so evident. Now, as I try to make sense of her timing, I’m certain that was intentional. She chose to cross the great divide, to bring us together precisely now, to remind us of our strengths, to remind us to feel our love and celebrate it.
Your comment on Gaye's lesson to you about giving 100% recently came up in conversation with a friend whom had a reading lately. The pearl of wisdom he took from that reading was that we can only give 100%, but we can receive a million back.
It feels as if that particular message is rising to the surface in these times. It's about receiving and being open to receiving a million percent. Ultimately it dovetails nicely with self worth and believing we are worthy of that much abundance. That gives me something to ponder today.
What lovely writing Asia. I feel even more blessed from reading it. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself.