“To die is to be reincarnated in those we love…” Andrea Gibson
Terri Luanna, this quote, taken from A Letter From the After Life by the late spoken word poet, Andrea Gibson, blew me away.
I recently watched their documentary, Come See Me in the Good Light, which poignantly chronicles the last year of Gibson’s life with their wife, Megan Falley, after a terminal diagnosis of ovarian cancer. When it was over, tears streaming down my cheeks, all I wanted to do was pick up the phone and call you…
Andrea so reminded me of you, Terri. Their lust for life, their radical attention to what really matters, their piercing and tender ability to love extravagantly.
Then I “just happened” to listen to Andrea’s wife, Megan, on Anderson Cooper’s illuminating show about grief, “All There Is” right before your 11th deathiversary.
What a gift it was to sit with the extraordinarily beautiful messages they discussed about the liminal spaces between life and death. Tucked away in the gripping conversation was the piercing reality that the loss of you is the connective tissue that holds all of us who loved you together.
You truly are here. Within each of us. Guiding our day to day lives. Reminding us what really matters.
Your divine presence is most evident in your dizzyingly beautiful daughter, Marisa. She is truly one of your greatest masterpieces, Terri. A brilliant light in this oftentimes dark world.
So it will come as no surprise to you that I orchestrated an overnight in Provincetown with your beloved Rubbicco women to gather in your name today. And it came as no surprise to me that you and the Rubbicco women who share the heavens with you were waiting to commune with us.
Your bodhisattva mother was the first to arrive. As Mary and I drew up to Race Point I said to her, keep your eyes out for a fox. Jeanne wasted no time, immediately scampering out of the beach grass. She literally stopped next to our car and my heart exploded in my chest at her bravado.
Nana was next. We’d seen a rainbow in the distance and when we crept up to the crest of Race Point there she was in all her splendor.
And you, Terri, were everywhere. In the angel wings amidst the clouds, and in the lustrous full moon ascending in the night sky.
And I’m pretty sure you masterminded Ptown’s holiday kickoff, The Holly Folly, which just happened to start tonight. Oh what fun we had amidst the inherent tension of missing your physical presence.
As I lay my head upon my pillow, this final quote from Andrea’s poem to Meg embodies your message to us today; “But feel me now, walking the chambers of your heart, pressing my palms to the soft walls of your living.”
Oh how we felt you tonight, Terri Luanna❤️
Until we meet again…
Love,
Auntie Laurie
Just beautiful Laurie! I am so glad you had the perfect evening. Ptown guarantees magic every single time. What a tribute to Terri and your whole family♥️
Thank you my friend, a magical place to honor our beloved Terri indeed!
Grateful for the share. Thank you.
What a magical time for everyone, what gifts to receive…so blessed with all of the feels ❤️❤️
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So beautifully written and of course all the women presented themselves to you. All who have died have never ever left they are EVERYWHERE ❤️❤️❤️Such an amazing celebration of your loved ones in Ptown of course. Magical place, all the time. 🥰
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Laurie it was beautiful reading this. Those two pictures were outstanding. So happy for all of you that she was present . ❤️
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Looks like an amazing time in PTown remembering Terri…great pictures…nice that you were all able to be together…beautifully written Laurie ❤️
Thank you my friend❤️
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Gorgeous magic! Gorgeous spirit! Gorgeous faith!
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Thai brought me to tears.
Thank you for this beautiful share Laurie. And for keeping Terri’s memory alive in us all (literally!).
I count her among my angels. What an honour!
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You’re so welcome Lisa Marie❤️ She is ever present, especially in the extraordinary Marisa.