On Friday night, the week before Christmas, 1999
That night I had a little 'ahead of the crowd, just minutes before the tables with stools near the small dance floor. Harvell, a popular Santa Monica night spot that attracts an audience of high level, such as "The Home of the Blues, R & B, funk and rock with live music and dance known each evening. With its smoke-free environment and noise for both ears and feet, is a pleasant place to spend an evening. IGo for the music and dance.
After enjoying a dance with a young man, I wove my way back through my clients just arrived at the seat carefully selected. After a sip of Pellegrino, I felt compelled to return to the edge of the dance floor. My rational thought I had to take the series with one of the regulars, John, a trained dancer, who arrived twenty minutes earlier. I noticed a man who had never seen before - both the same age, about 50, and at the same height, about 5'8 "but may retain the easiest John and unknown man as heavy as the frame.
John changed partners on the dance floor, I have eye contact with this other man, who, like John, had a number of partners since his arrival to dance. We danced and exchanged pleasantries. We laughed. We smiled. I noticed that his skin color similar to my fishing, and the light was his intense stare as my blue eyes, but brown. It was obvious that he has to dance. He has led ably, I just followed.In the middle of our dance, said: "It will probably need to take off your jacket because you're hot." I smiled, knowing that I will probably pull this off very soon, but for now the fan on the dance floor kept me fresh.
At the end of the dance, I turned to the band, the musicians recognize with my approval. When I turned my attention back to my companion, I saw that it was no longer beside me, but her face was down on the floor. The other dancers and Iassumed it was a joke. But not only the finite bandwidth. Time stopped. This time, kept for all eternity - a time be long or short, the watch can. Someone asked for help, and six of us (including staff, John, and a patron who is a nurse) said encouraging words and touched him. I left the others to visit him in a physical basis, and focused my attention to another level.
I put my hand on her back and asked: "Are you dying" to which came the reply: "E '. Time "My mind was racing with a series of follow-up questions:" Time for what? Time to live? It's time to die? Time to dance? "I remembered to breathe. My impulse to" do "something moved back to consciousness 'to be' with this moment. I knew it was a non-anxious presence more important than any action that could take. My inner guidance confirms that the His spirit was still very much alive, but it was not in his body. I could feel his spiritual presence more than meearlier. My lack of fear of physical death and my experience to observe the process of transition from physical to nonphysical me anchored to the blessing of the richness of this moment.
Words of encouragement and gentle touch of this man came to earth inside the circle, testifying in outer circles of the event. Drawn Together for entertainment in this intimate space were, we are connected through the invisible power of philanthropy with a variety ofReflections and perspectives on life and death.
In the soft sounds of the club, I did odds and ends of information. Echoed through the room was the knowledge that no one knew the name of this man. Staff confirmed to each other, who does not drink. A gold ring on his left hand he announced he was married. In the absence of facts, I speculated on his means. Maybe it was an out-of-town entrepreneurs who are not willing to fight traffic out Friday night in Los Angeles. MaybeHe lived in Chicago or Boston with his wife and children are not waiting for him at home until some time next day. A clerk gave me a pat on the shoulder and takes me out of my speculation, and has recommended that I move by police and paramedics had. I slipped back in linear time and realized that with the clock, the arrival was fast.
I moved to the outer circle, but not for long. The staff directed me to a policeman asked for my ID. In my small budget Imade my keys, driver's license and some money. I learned from the club morning jogging the importance of conducting identification when out jogging or walking, if ...... Go to a wine bar or purchase, of course, I bring my photo ID to the hope that I got carded. The current scenario, imagine what I had not had a reason to carry an identity document.
I followed the police officer who issued the license in hand. He was young, beautiful,sweet and sensitive. Soon, he copied the information on my credit card asking me to confirm that each bit is still correct. Harvell staff took my name and phone number.
When the paramedics with their obligations, the owner drove to keep vigil respectful. Even though I knew that the body of this man was no longer his mind, the participants gave his heart massage when she saw him carried away. Maybe they did not want the public purpose of the Friday night, or perhaps announceShe did not give up hope, or maybe they were using methods defined.
When the band went back to their sounds, I wavered between the residence and departure. To stay and felt that the dance in honor of the event to leave early in the evening seemed to discount. The public has been reduced rather than expanded. I danced with John and waited to leave until the end of the series, at midnight. Outside the club, said the bouncer (a £ 300 unit), had somethingFor me three passes for my next visit to Harvell's. I smiled at the mercy of their hands, how to maintain physical strength. My only words "thank you" were transmitted from the field of energy without the words of our common experience.
Two days later, Sunday
While walking on Third Street Promenade Santa Monica, I found myself face to face with a stick, a policeman gave me a sweet. He noticed my hesitation to take candy and said:gentle authority that I had to take it. I accepted with a playful smile that matched his, and offered a deal: I would be in exchange for some information. I told him I was Harvell on Friday. E 'was no need for further explanation when he revealed that he was sending with the night. I asked how I could say that I was willing to talk with the man's wife or anyone else in the family, if they want. I have identified as the last dance with himmy name and contact information has been entered by the police.
The house for five minutes, telephoned the owner of Harvell's asking me to call the family. This nameless man and his wife, whom I carried in my heart for two days they had names: Jim and Victoria. Not from out of town, they lived on site. A friend told me to return phone calls Victoria would be handling my call the next day.
The next day, Monday
Victoria and I talked for an hour on the phone in aRemarkable dialogue. He confirmed that she and Jim likes to dance / loved. Continue to adjust its language, changing the references to Jim about the past of this, which had become so familiar in their marriage of 18 years. Victoria had to work Friday night (this is a medical emergency), so Jim went without her to scout for a visit Harvell future together. Your dance other friends had planned to go with him, but eventually went without anyone Jim, who knew him.
IVictoria, along with all the details I could remember that night, she responds with the confirmation of Jim, I looked. Jim and Victoria had a son and a daughter aged between 8 and 10 has had to dance a variety of physical conditions, to decide him to get his health requires. He also created a contract with the universe that is not part of his life living as an invalid. E 'focus until the last minute. He was fully alive to the death.
I was touched by itWords like I thanked him for an angel to Jim and the detention of a space of silence during the event. It took a while 'for me after our conversation, all that synthesize verbalized, although without a doubt that Jim knew that he was allowed to die that night.
I refused to visit Jim's funeral the next day because I have a client in a time window that would be impossible had expected. Later, when customers canceled, I knew where I should have,be.
The next day, Tuesday
The synagogue was with those who loved and cared for Jim filled. They were not there, these birds. Before someone I thought maybe Victoria, could be a beautiful woman agency contacted me to comment that I was alone. I explained that I did not know anyone there, identified myself as "the woman who was the last to dance with Jim." He embraced me warmly, as he imagined, as the mother of Jim. A short exchange inVictoria, who had been a lot of our conversation. When I approached Victoria, said the mother of Jim to keep our eyes and asked, "Are you Jean?"
At the funeral, I heard stories of Jim ability to love, to inspire the capacity and the breadth of his soul. I looked at the enigma that this physical life in a place where nobody knew him, on this ground. With so many good friends and relatives, strangers, chose to stay with him at the endthis life. I think Jim would be happy and encourage us to speculate on this situation, a secret that softens his memory.
Today
Jim's story is not simply because it no longer uses a body that is familiar to family and friends as well. He touched many people in his life and his death, he knew and those who did not know by name.
It must have been a special honor to be a witness in his place, and dance his last dance with Jim.
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