She Chose to Dance!

It has been five days now since I posted my Eulogy for CCN on blipfoto and I have been moved beyond belief by the outpouring of sentiment from blippers from all corners of the globe.  It has given me great comfort to read your messages so full of love and support for both of us.

This dear little Blue Wren and his mate have been keeping me company over the past couple of weeks.  The remarkable thing is, we so rarely see them out at Wombat Hollow.  I think it may be Catherine keeping a close eye on me and that makes me smile.  

Catherine's spiritual guide for a great part of her life was a work colleague John Lizzio.  John was the person who would guide her son Sid and I through the Funeral Service last Friday and his Eulogy really was a revelation to many people who attended.  I thought I would share his eulogy with you in parts as I believe there is a strong message that Catherine has been able to pass on to her friends and family through her passing.

Excerpt from "The Catherine I know"


I want to tell you about a person who died in Ireland in January of this year.
His name was Daniel O’Leary, he was a priest, an author and poet. Daniel died of cancer. In the last 3 months of his life he wrote a book in which she poses a question around an analogy.

Daniel asks “Supposing we are all at a dance. And someone invites us to dance. We have two possibilities, We can say ‘No Thanks’ and sit it out or we can choose to dance.  And his hopeful and prayerful refrain throughout the book is “If you have the choice of sitting it out - I hope you dance - I hope you dance”.

Catherine chose to dance life to the full at every possible opportunity.
Love, friendships, training, sharing wisdom, being a role model, at every turn she chose to dance - she chose to dance.

That is the Catherine I know and I will always remember. A life well lived because Catherine chose to dance. She chose to dance.

Her like will not pass our way again. May she Rest in Peace.
John Lizzio

For a while I will spend quiet time reflecting on what has passed and I do that knowing that I have wonderful friends and family supporting me every step of the way.  At some stage in the future I will "Choose to Dance" because I know that is what my darling Catherine would have wanted.