Celebration of Life Fair Winds and Follow Seas

A dear friend’s father passed away earlier this year and one of his final wishes was to have his ashes scattered at sea, in front of the beautiful, waterfront home he shared with his wife. They had spent their 30 years together cruising through the magical Puget Sound waters along with my friend and her brother. As it goes in the boating world, they made friends where ever they roamed. How convenient and lovely that my friend also has very dear friends with a glorious cruising boat and they generously offered to host us and navigate the late fall, potentially stormy waters for our farewell gathering for J.

J was not only a seasoned boat captain himself but an avid hot air balloon and kite flying aficionado. He also was a great champion of his daughter’s sailing adventures. When she and a small band of intrepid women were completing their race to Alaska in the pitch black of night, J was there in Ketchikan, where he had grown up, a sole figure in the night, holding a lantern for his daughter and teammates to find their way to the dock where they clinched first place and claimed their recognition as the first women’s team to win the gnarly R2AK. What a proud Dad moment and beautiful memory for his daughter to savor as she now prepared to hold a lantern and bid her Dad fair winds and following seas for his final release into the sea.

Our small group of family and friends motored to our destination and while our captain kept us in calm waters, we wrote farewell notes on a paper hot air balloon and charming paper sailboats that would carry his ashes to the waters. We went around our circle and heard beautiful and fun remembrances of how J had touched everyone’s life.

We read the quintessential Farewell Poem, Gone From My Sight, an affirmation that even when our Loved One’s life ship seems to sail off and become so small that it is no longer in our sight, that their mighty ship is right then, being greeted in its full glory by Loved Ones on the distant shore.

Then it was time to launch our balloon and sailboats and fulfill J’s final wish. There were even loyal friends standing on the blustery shore joining us as we bid J farewell.

We toasted with champagne and J’s favorite boat snacks. In an extraordinary stroke of luck and the blessings of Mother Nature, we had remained in soft Autumn sunlight and not a single drop of rain for our whole celebration. And then just as we turned into the wind and the waves, for our return journey, the rain arrived to add her benediction to our offerings of love, gratitude and appreciation for J.

What is so healing about these Farewell Celebrations is that we have a time to remember all that is good and beautiful about our Loved One’s life and also allow our acceptance for the imperfections that are so inherent in our human lives. We grieve together, laugh together and hug each other in our sorrow and our connection through this one person.

So I thank you dear A, for inviting me to be part of your Dad’s Bon Voyage celebration. Thank you captain E and wonderful friend J for your beautiful contributions. I am so glad A and M that you and your community will have these memories to add to your lifetime of being J’s family. May he continue to be the lantern shining his love for you as you continue your journey here in this world and he continues his in the realms beyond.