Recognition and gratitude
I want to express my appreciation for the kind words and gratitude that many have expressed to me in the blog comments, emails and phone. I am incredibly honored to have been with Chester as he passed and off and on through the last year and half but there are so many others that held him, supported him and loved him as he dealt with this illness.
I especially want to recognize the tremendous effort that his dear family expended in their promise to keep Chester at home. For six months, he lived with his brother and sister-in-law. They were the ones that fed him Dan's excellent cooking, got him dressed in the morning and got up with him at all hours of night to meet his needs. His sister Dawn, provided comfort, giggles and assistance during the day while Dan & Nancy were at work. It was Dawn that continued his hydrotherapy as long as he was able. She also took over the numerous details required of his care. His momma provide more laughter, delicious food and the incredible power of "momma Kisses". His step mother Teri and his dad drove up to provide much needed respite for days at a time. They provided lots of warm embraces, more of his favorite dishes, entertainment, support and safety for Chester. Caring for Chester was joyous, frustrating, fulfilling and exhausting work. I am just glad that I was able to help them out towards the end. Here is to all of the family and friends from near and far that lent their love, support, time and energy in caring for the cheeky one!
I especially want to recognize the tremendous effort that his dear family expended in their promise to keep Chester at home. For six months, he lived with his brother and sister-in-law. They were the ones that fed him Dan's excellent cooking, got him dressed in the morning and got up with him at all hours of night to meet his needs. His sister Dawn, provided comfort, giggles and assistance during the day while Dan & Nancy were at work. It was Dawn that continued his hydrotherapy as long as he was able. She also took over the numerous details required of his care. His momma provide more laughter, delicious food and the incredible power of "momma Kisses". His step mother Teri and his dad drove up to provide much needed respite for days at a time. They provided lots of warm embraces, more of his favorite dishes, entertainment, support and safety for Chester. Caring for Chester was joyous, frustrating, fulfilling and exhausting work. I am just glad that I was able to help them out towards the end. Here is to all of the family and friends from near and far that lent their love, support, time and energy in caring for the cheeky one!
posted by Wine-Beer-Washington at 10:58 AM
1 Comments:
Hello Bean -
Though I can't be at the Celebration, I found that there is something I'd like to say. I realize that many people will want to say many things, and I don't know what you are planning, so if this doesn't fit, I will understand. But if some or all of it does fit, I'd be glad if it could be read.
* * * * *
There are a few things I'm proud of. One is that I helped Chester Mainard find his wings and take flight. Thirty years ago, Chester (then known as Erik), a timid bulldog, nosed his way into my life because he wanted a friend who was out and proud. Yes, Virginia, once upon a time, Chester was closeted and scared – but you can well imagine that he wasn't going to tolerate that for long!
He had a keen interest in how people are wounded and how they heal. I was a therapist who actually talked about what was beautiful and whole in people, and Chester wanted some of that. It didn't take long to realize that this man had a gift. I bulldogged back, urging him to quit screwing around and get himself a counseling degree. And he did – an early addition to that sparkling assembly of magical tools.
We were both passionate about the sacredness of mind and body and spirit. While I was smart and sensitive about these things, Chester was truly amazing ... fearful, but amazing. Together, we had a knack for extending his belief in his vision. He started talking about how people needed healing for their assholes, and I asked him what he was going to do about it. As we talked about it, I provided faith in him and probing (OK!), perceptive questions; Chester provided the genius that blossomed into the great teacher he was.
Thirty years ago, Chester set forth to become a healer. To a small extent, I helped midwife that birth. Now he has birthed himself yet again. And yet again, he had people who loved and helped him. I'm grateful to all of you who helped midwife his latest transformation.
I considered being with you today – but I made a commitment. You see, I have this friend: a man who was fearful of his gift for spirit and healing. His spirituality grew past the bonds of his religious tradition, and he was terrified. He didn't know if he really deserved the honor of helping people heal. Sound familiar at all? In the past few years, he's begun a deeply intuitive practice of creating medicine staffs – powerful works of wood and stone and paint and carving. Today - this very day - he is showing those staffs for the first time in public. He is taking flight. I promised to be there. I'm taking a breath of Chester with me.
--Will Handy, Dallas, Texas
Post a Comment
<< Home