With a heavy heart

This morning, after a sleepless and troubled nite, I heard the tiny iPad sound announcing email. Maybe 6:30am. The sun had just crested the hills and the ocean was almost like a lake, smooth glassy water reflecting the red sun on it's dark surface. I opened my mail and learned that my dear friend and former boss, Howard Benedict had passed away the day before. The email was a very tender note from Bogdan letting me know that he had been with Howard just a couple of hours before, holding his hand and telling him all of his patients were missing him and were being well taken care of. What a generous thing to do. I have been blessed to work with these two exceptional dentist, and know that my life would not have been as richly textured without first Howard, and then Bogdan, understanding my wanderlust and need for occasional journeys to feed my curiosity and enlighten my soul. Each time I experience the full moon rising like an orange globe over the sea, or the lanquid sultry heat of an Asian night, or the generosity of a poor hardworking peasant, I feel graditude to each of these men for allowing me to have my proverbial job and my "cake" too. So with a very heavy heart, I went out into the sea before most anyone else was awake and swam in the red water, silence surrounding me except for my own tears and sighs. The Buddhist believe that if you have lived a virtuous life of service, kindness and generosity then you will return to an even better life. I choose to think this will be Howard's gift. Goodbye friend, you are free.