R.I.P. Grandma

"Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there's a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see." 

- Hellen Keller 

Transition Elevation

On Thursday, July 21 at 1830hrs, my grandma passed on.
She lived for almost a century, and what a life it was! I do thank God that she died of old age, not disease or any other agonizing and painful condition.
We laid her to rest yesterday.

I won't eulogize her on this blog, but will just share Mary Elizabeth Frye's Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep poem and some photos of her resting place.
This poem is featured in Desperate Housewives s04ep10, where Karen McCluskey and Lynette Scavo scatter Ida Greenberg's ashes on a baseball field.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush.
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Kwaheri

Fare thee well grandma. God be with you till we meet again [lyrics].



More pics

 

  

Act Now. Let's Feed Fellow Kenyans

Transcending Religious, Ideological, and National difference 
When Karen Armstrong won the 2008 TED Prize, she made a wish: she sought help in creating, launching and propagating a Charter for Compassion.

Here's Karen at TED making her wish:



Following is the Charter for Compassion video on YouTube.



You can watch other TED videos on compassion here.

Beyond Compassion 
In view of the foregoing, it is incumbent upon us all to help fellow Kenyans who are dying of starvation.

At a time when the situation is already desperate for the unfortunate ones who have nothing to eat, we need to be more than compassionate. We need to act.
Thanks to the Kenya Red Cross, Ahmed Salim, and the rest of us who can at least spare a meal to feed another starving human being, we shall collectively save lives. Thereafter, we can tell these people about feeding themselves.

Following is Ahmed Salim's message, as published by Jacque on Wamathai's blog:

Jambo Kenya,

I woke up this morning with this guilt that we are ONE Nation and ONE people who would like to stand and speak ONE language of PEACE LOVE AND UNITY.

How can this happen when our own people in this country are suffering????

I do take up the initiative to have at least KENYANS ON TWITTER show their support and love by Sacrificing A Meal to help someone somewhere in this country.

My Target is to Have 10,000 KENYANS raise at least 250/= each and thus 2.5 Million shillings to FEED KENYA.

With the help of Kenya Red Cross - you can send your donations via MPESA

PAY BILL - 10,000


AC NAME - FEED KE


AMOUNT - (minimum 250/=)

AND you will have sacrificed a meal to Feed Kenya – Lets do this Kenya.

My Name is Ahmed Salim and I am A Kenyan @ahmedsalims

TUKO PAMOJA!!!! #SacrificeAMeal

You can now donate via Airtel Money, pay to nickname “REDCROSS” reference “FeedKE”

GOD BLESS.

Guys, let's do the needful. There is a reason why you and I are not the starving ones at this moment.
Join us and help feed our starving brothers and sisters with this #FeedKE initiative.

Thank you.

Find What's Lost. Stop Looking.

Yesterday, I was on phone with someone amazing. We got talking about many things, and at some point during that conversation, I thought about the satisfaction of finding what has all along been lost.

There's this post about chasing happiness where we concluded that it's more important to get on with life, doing what is required of us, and purposing to add value both in our lives and those of others instead of engaging in an elusive pursuit of "happiness".

Worthless Pursuits
Otherwise, we may end up like dogs chasing their tails...

However, it is interesting to note that many, if not all things, are found only when we stop looking.

Happiness, Satisfaction & Fulfillment
In this priceless Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness document that I keep referencing in my posts, we are urged to

abandon a foolish quest for the ephemeral rewards of happiness, wealth and power, [and thereby] begin to look for our true calling on earth...

Furthermore, there is a very clear difference between happiness, satisfaction and fulfillment. Happiness may be transient, satisfaction may be seasonal, but fulfillment is enduring.

Stop Looking 
An understanding of what can and does get found when we stop looking invariably obviates the need to actively seek short-time pleasures that ultimately cost us in the long run.

We need to reorder our priorities, delay gratification, set long term objectives and engage in worthwhile, enduring pursuits that will end in fulfillment.
Regardless of how long it may take, we finally find whatever we seek. Sometimes, in other people... as Longfellow did:

I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow