The Heartwood is my Mom

The passages set apart below are from my book, Live and Die Awake.

Today, November 1, many traditions hold that the veil between the living and those who have transitioned is at its thinnest. It is Samhain, All Saints’ Day today All Soul’s Day tomorrow and the first day of Día de los Muertos, rooted in Indigenous Mexican and Catholic traditions, when families welcome home the souls of the children they have lost.

The lesson that all of these traditions understand, and that grief has taught me, is that life and death are not opposites. They are one circle. The dark is not the end of the light, rather it is where the light goes to be renewed.

When I wrote Live and Die Awake, I found great connection in the image and metaphor of a tree.

The Roots

To survive a great grief, we must dig into the earth and connect with the roots that support us.

The concept is that after death, the roots remain connected to the Creator-Source and, through memory and legacy, feed the branches that are symbolic of family, community, and future generations.

From Live and Die Awake, Chapter 9, “Roots and Branches of Support”*

Initially, Jim’s presence was felt within our immediate family and friends, and now he is guiding me in my purpose to serve other souls. Here, the cycle of life and death mirrors the seasons, where leaves grow and fall and renourish the tree for another season.