Grieving 9-11
“Grief is the price we pay for love”.
This was the closing line of Queen Elizabeth’s message to New York City after the attack on September 11, 2001. In honor of September 11th and of my late husband, whose birthday fell on September 11, I wanted to share those words with you.
The queen's message was read by the British ambassador to Washington, Sir Christopher Meyer, at a prayer service in New York. Elizabeth is often cited as the original source of the quote, but she was likely paraphrasing from a passage written by Colin Murray Parkes, a British psychiatrist famous for his books on grief. I’m grateful for Parkes’ wisdom.
Perhaps you are going through the loss of someone important to you today. Even losses from deep in the past can sting as if it happened yesterday. Or perhaps you learn of someone who passed today that you used to know well once upon a time. I find comfort in the queen’s words. To grieve means that we have experienced love. I would like to add to this "How much more awful to have never experienced love". Granted, sometimes the love we had was brutally lost, due to a sudden end to a marriage or romance or death. It doesn’t change the fact that you once experienced love from that person. Our good memories can be carefully stored somewhere deep in our memory where they are safe. Our memories are ours to keep, if we choose to. New people in our lives only ADD to our memories. They don't need to replace them. For this, we are blessed.
Looking at 9-11, what wonderful gratitude we must all feel to the First Responders once more for their selfless acts of duty, courage, and honor. We know it's their job, but the fear they must have felt was amazingly replaced by the need to serve. Yesterday, while driving down RR 620, I tuned into a report on CNN. This was Channel 795. It's CNN in español! I realized after listening for a few minutes that the story was about a fireman talking about his personal experience on 9-11 at the Twin Towers. He and his brother were both fighting the same fire, but his brother didn’t make it out alive. Hearing this man’s story and his loss, I burst into tears. Life can be rather unremarkable, but a love and loss turn one’s heart upside down. If this describes your experience, you may find comfort in all of the people that try to SAVE lives. Because we are human, we are flawed in so many ways. And, because we are human, we are absolutely amazing in so many ways. You, in your own small way, have touched and maybe even saved a few lives over the years. That is AWESOME and worth celebrating.
Another quote I read just this morning, “Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” Paul Lewis Boese Please sit with this thought for a moment. Does it apply to you? How has forgiveness enlarged your future? I know that's a tough question to ask. I have to answer it too.
Many of you have thanked me personally for continuing to write these blogs. Blogs are much more helpful when not written in a vacuum. Please, share your reactions and thoughts to my blogs. If you're willing to share with others, I'd be happy to quote you. If nothing else, please let me know if it touches you.
Thank you for reading!
Now, what's up this week at Yoga by Dayna? First, my courageous and super intelligent step-daughter Simone is getting married!!! Her beautiful and loving blue-eyed beau is Sam Fidone. We are all heading to Amelia Island near Jacksonville, Florida to the Omni Resort this week. We will be there Wednesday to Wednesday. All chair yoga classes will receive a brand new, never seen before session on YouTube. I'll be sending the link by email. I'm recording it this weekend. To all you virtual students, your classes will not be disrupted at all. All in-studio students will get a week off although I encourage you to try the virtual classes. I'll have my laptop, camera, and special sound equipment on the road with me. Below you will find this and next week's schedule. Perhaps you'll want to book in advance for when we return home.
The big wedding of Sam and Simone takes place this Saturday, September 17. Simone chose the date September 17th to honor her late grandparents, who were married on that date in 1946. Wow! And, get this, they were married 46 years! The number 46 is very special to the Culwell family. I can't wait to see our little granddaughters dart up the aisle as flower girls. That'll be a hoot.
What's going on at Yoga by Dayna this and next week?
CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE! September 12, 2022
MONDAY, Sept 12th makes me smile
9:15 a.m. Judy and Andy (virtual)
12 p.m. Delicious Deep Stretch
3 p.m. Susan J.
4:30 p.m. Kendall
TUESDAY, Sept 13, totally rocks
9 a.m. OPEN! BOOK TODAY!
10:30 a.m. Brookdale Living
12 p.m. Perfect Posture Yoga
1:30 p.m. OPEN! BOOK TODAY!
4:30 p.m. Susan & Paula (virtual)
5:45 p.m. Christopher & Michelle
WEDNESDAY, Sept 14th wiggles
Travel day
THURSDAY, Sept 15th thrives
9 a.m. Welcome Christina! (virtual)
10:30 am Welcome Belmont! (via video)
12 p.m. Perfect Posture Yoga (virtual)
FRIDAY, Sept 16th freedom…. Ah.. and a long weekend
8:30 a.m. Welcome Paula and Susan! (virtual)
9:45 a.m. Perfect Posture Yoga
11 a.m. Welcome Christina! (virtual)
SATURDAY, Sept 17th Simone and Sam Fidone get married!!!
CHECK OUT THIS NEXT WEEK'S SCHEDULE!
September 19, 2022
MONDAY, Sept. 19th
9:15 a.m. Judy and Andy (virtual)
10:30 a.m. OPEN! BOOK TODAY! https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=837054&stype=-9&sTG=2&sView=week&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000003
12 p.m. Delicious Deep Stretch
TUESDAY, Sept. 20th
9 a.m. OPEN! BOOK TODAY! (virtual). https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=837054&stype=-9&sTG=2&sView=week&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000003
10:30 a.m. OPEN! BOOK TODAY! (virtual).
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=837054&stype=-9&sTG=2&sView=week&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000003
12 p.m. Perfect Posture Yoga
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 21st. Travel Day
THURSDAY thrives (WE ARE HOME!), Sept. 22nd
9 a.m. Welcome Christina!
10:30 am Welcome Belmont!
12 p.m. Perfect Posture Yoga
2:30 p.m. Jenny
4 p.m. OPEN! BOOK TODAY! IN STUDIO.
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=837054&stype=-9&sTG=2&sView=week&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000003
FRIDAY, Sept. 23rd
8:30 a.m. Welcome Paula and Susan! (virtual)
9:45 a.m. Perfect Posture Yoga
11 a.m. OPEN! BOOK TODAY! IN STUDIO.
https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=837054&stype=-9&sTG=2&sView=week&sLoc=1&sTrn=100000003