Celebrating Edna Parker – Reiki/Prayer at work

[ahavah]

The world's oldest person has died. As I read things like this in the headlines, I always say a little prayer and offer healing to the departed. I thought I would share and pass that on here.

I strongly believe that people's love/prayers/energy/thoughts help others as their souls cross over. I've been around birth a lot, and though I'm fairly new to death, they seem to me to be very similar as far as being life's biggest, strongest, most powerful transitions. I think my mom's crossing was extra powerful because so many people were praying for her. I think that kind of outpouring of love helps offset fear, pain, and confusion.

When I think of people like Edna Parker, who has lived longer than most of us could ever hope to, it brings with it a very humbling thought. Do you have any idea how many people she's impacted in her life?

She was a teacher before getting married and becoming a housewife, too, so once more with feeling: Do you have any idea how many people's she's impacted in her life?

I see how my three and five (and a half) year olds have impacted strangers, and I'm glad that (for the most part) we've instilled respect and common courtesy into them. I'm only twenty-seven (and a half) and I know I've had an impact on the world. It's also a humbling thought, but it's true for every one of us. Some, I've impacted badly. I've done my best to apologize and make up for those, and I've been all right with keeping daily maintenance on the forgiveness process. Some, I've impacted wonderfully. I know this because some of you have let me into your homes/births/hearts/families. (And believe me, that means a lot when I'm feeling down.) My mom was only fifty, and yet she had touched so many, and so deeply. Brenden Foster was only eleven, and yet his kindness and generosity of spirit is at this very moment continuing to feed homeless all over the world.

So it is my sincere wish that you take a moment when you hear about someone who's passed on, or right then and there when someone really impacts you, take that moment to give them the love, prayer, and support that they deserve. Pour it on out to their families and everyone else who's ever been blessed by them. Even if you don't believe in the afterlife, just take a minute to give them a warm and fuzzy hug for their work here.

Comments

[blonde-viki.livejournal.com]

I found your thoughts on this really captivating.

I'm not really sure why I do it, but for as long as I can remember, whenever I see an emergency ambulance or hear sirens, I say a silent wish for the person who might be caught up in it, I wish them the strength to pull through or that they may have a peaceful, swift and pain-free passing. The same if I see funerals, I wish the departed a 'safe journey' to whatever comes next and wish strength to those left behind.

I guess there is something comforting in the knowledge that when you might be suffering, someone is praying for you or devoting a little of their energy to you to will you through it all.

It's so wonderful to read that someone else thinks along these lines - I thought I might be a bit strange!

[ahavah]

No way! I like to think many people do this. If not, well maybe they will now. :) I'm going to have to start doing it when I hear sirens, too. That's a wonderful idea.

[blonde-viki.livejournal.com]

This is what I love about LJ - you read things and are inspired, then you write and inspire other people in your own turn. Lots of people doing something little can be a big thing :D

[ckocher.livejournal.com]

I hadn't read the other comments before I posted but I've got that strange little hair-standing moment when I saw other people that do the same thing I do. I too thought I was the weird one!

Strange we may be, but it's a good kind of strange. :-)

[blonde-viki.livejournal.com]

Yay for a good kind of strange!

[(Anonymous)]

i also pray whenever i hear a siren. :^)

i just spent the last week with my 91yo grandmother helping her recover from a fall at the hospital and then move to the bounce-back wing at the nursing home. she has lived alone up until a week ago. i kept seeing her birthday on her hosp bracelet - born february 1917 - and marveling at how much life she's seen. and she's still raring to do more.

xo

campcreek from twitter ;^)

[ahavah]

I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother's fall, and I'll say a prayer for her too! It's awesome that she lived on her own for so long. I hope I'm blessed with such a long, independent life.

Thanks for stopping by!

[ckocher.livejournal.com]

Anytime I see an ambulance tearing down the street, I take that moment to send a prayer for healing, strength, and guidance. I haven't expanded that to include those who have recently died, but after reading this, I think that's something I need to incorporate. It might be something as simple as a weekly moment to offer energy to all the souls that have crossed the veil that week - but I could see that being as much about being born as it is about dying.

Hmm... I think I'll write on this later. I may even write up a simple ritual to post to my online pagan community for others to view and use if they like. Thank you for the inspiration.

[ahavah]

I'm glad to know I've inspired you! I have said a prayer for ambulances every now and then - especially at one intersection in town, where cars never top for emergency vehicles. I just don't get it! - but I haven't made a regular practice of it. I will now. I like your idea about saying a prayer every week, too. I really think death is when people need support most, but too often no one knows how to give it. It's an important way to give back for one's life, I think.

[elfinecstasy.livejournal.com]

Powerful, beautiful entry. Thank you for sharing.

[ahavah]

Thank you, I'm glad you appreciated it!