A Perfect Day

Today was Arvin's Celebration of Life and it was perfect. Many wonderful friends and family came to share their love of Arvin. It began with Jason, Chris and Jyl playing and singing jazz as everybody walked into the chapel, talking and sharing their feelings. In the front were the three paintings I've done of Arvin including the current unfinished one. I ended up sitting facing the new one and I felt like I was looking right into Arvin's heart. It filled my heart.

When everybody was seated, Chris and Jason started to play Gershwin's "Summertime." Jyl motioned for me to come up and sing with her. Without a thought of worry, I got up and the two of us sang the song together. My voice cooperated with me and the song came out beautifully.

Next Sheva got up and gave a wonderful short talk about how each of us is born with a blank Torah. As we live we write our lives on this torah and keep it in our heart. When we die the torah returns to the supreme author who made us and is absorbed into the whole. She talked of what a beautiful story was written on Arvin's torah. 

Next I got up and spoke about Arvin's impeccable way of moving through his life, including how he handled his Alzheimer's. How he stayed sweet, loving and giving throughout. I shared how much I was grateful for the 42 years we had together. And I talked about the recent pictures I had found of him and his first wife, how obviously they had been in love, and how she and I were both so lucky to have shared our lives with him.

Then others began to speak. Both my brothers, my son Jason, a number of close friends, all spoke. And Lynda, Arvin's older daughter read a wonderful writing she did to share memories of her childhood with Arvin as he progressed in his dementia. Her piece was smart, funny, moving, and extremely well written. She had us all laughing and feeling the warmth of love she and her dad felt for each other. Several more people spoke and finally the gathering ended with a song called "Arvin's Song" written, and recorded by Mike Anderson, a friend we know through my radio show that was right next to his wife Deborah's. I didn't realize that Mike was a musician. The song was simple and moving.

The service ended and we all trooped into the dining room for food and drink and lots of conversation. And hugs. Lots and lots of hugs. So many kind and loving people came up to me to tell me their own tales of Arvin's kindness, cleverness, wisdom, silliness, jokes and on and on. It was delightful. And we all had a great time together.

Afterwards, Dave and Nora and my nephew Spencer and his wife Anjelica headed home. Chris and Jyl headed back to Seattle. Helena went home to rest. And the rest of us went for a walk at Zuanich Park. That's where I took this photo with my cell phone because all of my purse camera's batteries were dead. Even that couldn't put a dent in a perfect day.

We took Lynda home and the last of us, Steve, Susan, Jason, Peitsa and I went to Boundary Bay for a late evening snack. I hadn't eaten much at the party and it turned out the rest of the gang was hungry too. Now I am beginning to fall asleep where I sit. It's been a long day, a rich day, and a great day. I think we gave Arvin a really special send off. And the love that was flowing was so warm and sweet that it should stay in the air for a very long time.