I’ve also signed up for a child safety and newborn care class at Swedish. It’s a little odd signing up for parenting classes. Sometimes I catch a look at myself in the proverbial mirror and am a little shocked. I’m taking parenting classes? Weird. Life just never stops evolving in new and strange ways.

I had only taken classes at 8 limbs twice before. I decide to take it there because it was the only one I could find that worked with my work schedule, and I like the fact that it’s spread out over 6 months and not all at once. It gives you more time to digest and explore avenues of interest during your off weeks. That being said, I was a little nervous about going in slightly sight unseen. I didn’t know the instructors, and didn’t have much of a sense of the kinds of people that 8 limbs would attract for the program. I’m very happy with how both have turned out. The instructors are all very knowledgeable and you can instantly tell that they really strive to live yoga and not just have a collection of knowledge. And all of them have wonderful laughs, which always makes me feel good about somebody. As far as the students go, I’m really enjoying the instant community that this training seems to engender. We obviously all have at least one passion in common, but it feels really well balanced in terms of diversity of backgrounds also. I’m really looking forward to continuing study. There is much to study and practice between now and next month, which is good, because I need somewhere for all the excitement I’m feeling to go.

My step-mother and I haven’t always gotten along so well. When I was growing up I think we both didn’t really know how to deal with the other and there were times when our relationship was definitely strained. Over the last 10 years or so though, our relationship has matured and become much better and I think we have come to appreciate things about each-other that maybe we overlooked before. Though we are still of very different worlds, she is caring, generous, and has been a wonderful friend, mentor, and teacher to an extraordinary number of people. I’ve come to see how much she gives to those around her. Her biggest gift right now, to all of us, has been the example she has been setting with how she has gone about dying. She has done it with amazing grace, gratitude, and thoughtfulness. I haven’t once seen her get angry or be anything less than grateful to the people in her life or for the life she has lead. When I was back a few weeks ago, I watched her thank friend after friend for the part they played in her life. In speaking with one of her friends, a former priest who has been a spiritual mentor to a lot of people in her community, she told him “I’ve had a great life, and I would like to have a great death”. I can only hope that when my time comes, I can follow her example and embrace the experience as fully and with as much acceptance as she has.

I worry a lot about my dad and sister (who just had a baby 3 weeks ago and will no longer have a mother to help guide her through her new motherhood) and how they will deal with this. My dad has just retired and I think that while he has a lot to keep him occupied at the moment, the reality of how his life will be different will hit him fully at some point and I hope that all of us can just be there when he needs us to be there. There is beauty though in the way that she has been able to prepare everybody for her death and ask for their acceptance, just as she has accepted it. I think it makes it a lot easier for everybody around. Seeing her gratitude helps others to try and find the same gratitude for the part she has played in their life and that is a tremendous gift to be able to give as you go. So thank you for everything you have given and will continue to give to me and my family.