I know that you have great powers of rejuvenation
As he continues to monitor my healing, Karl is alert to anything that looked remotely like rejuvenation.
As Christmas 2016 approaches, Karl says this:
You have some of your positive, determined energy back, Wadie, and that’s great! I know that losing me has been the hugest thing for you. As it has been for me — losing my Earthly life. I would not for one second discount it. I have kept at you because I know you — and I know that you have great powers of rejuvenation…. Wait and see. Big things are going to happen that will fill your heart with encouragement.
Karl’s optimism has a contagious effect on me: I begin to believe that I am recovering. I might be able to have my old life back and be myself again. The New Year beckons (2017), full of hope and possibility. The morning of the day Rose’s house flooded, Karl has this to say:
“This will be the Year of the Wadie. You will experience acknowledgment and success with this story we are telling each other every day. Glorious is how we will feel as our story touches many lives. You came into this life to touch many lives. That I have finally worked out — and I have permission to pass it on to you. And your time in the sun has nearly arrived. You need still to work on it — but you’ll have the satisfaction — before too long — of seeing tangible results….”
After the flood
Sadly, my dreams of personal agency and self-determination are temporarily derailed by a severe PTS attack that followed the flood in Rose’s house that very evening. I am sick for many weeks.
feel the magic
By 21 February 2017, however, I am beginning to recover, and Karl is there to support me, offering a glimpse of his life in heaven:
“Here where I am, we are always watching out for opportunities to show and share love, compassion, and empathy. I see that as your job now…. You will see (and feel) the magic that that will bring.”
As above, so below.
Looking back: lessons OF RELUCTANT ACTIVISTS
Looking back, I can see that we undertook many courageous activities and learned many healing lessons as we sought to raise community awareness about road safety issues in the Tweed Shire:
- We approached the project by asking what Karl would have naturally encouraged us to do;
- We cast a wide net (to include friends and family members who were mourning but lacked outlets for their grief);
- We dignified our activities as “activism” and used tried-and-true activist techniques;
- We reached out to principled journalists and expert road safety advisors for help;
- We kept to the truth;
- We used a variety of activist modes and activities;
- We used humor as much as we could;
- We kept our expectations realistic and did not allow ourselves to be dismayed or derailed by failure;
- We shared our experiences widely; and
- We celebrated (a lot).
Postscript: ACTIVISM Looking forward
To my delight, possibilities open up for activism in my new life in Vancouver. Here I am in August 2019, marching in the Vancouver Pride Parade for the Green candidate for Vancouver Centre in 2019 Canadian Federal election, Jesse Brown.
