IN DEATH THERE IS MUCH LIFE
I hope you all had an amazing summer. If you are in the greater Detroit area, you must agree we have been blessed with some of the most incredible weather. Just beautiful! Many of you know that I am a musician first and foremost, and have been, long before I ever became a FIT pro. Music is my sanctuary and I have been known to have the best and most eclectic play lists in all of my fitness classes and events. I also play piano, write music, sing, and play percussion. I was selected as a Master Instructor Trainer for DRUMS ALIVE and love combining GREAT music and drumming. I hope to have you local people in a class or event, and stay tuned for some great DRUMS ALIVE events coming soon!
On a personal note, I lost my father after a lengthy illness in June, and admittedly have felt like a wayfaring stranger these last few months. My pop was also a musician, composer, choir conductor, educator, mentor, humanitarian, and helper to many. He was in hospice prior to his transition. Hospice was an incredible journey and a bittersweet ending to his life on earth. We played music for him in hospice and even witnessed his last spiritual surge of energy as he conducted choir from his hospice bed, and gave an impromptu choral workshop. Crazy! But it really happened exactly like this. After we thought he was close to leaving us at any moment, he pepped back up and took command like a pro. I will never forget it. I was there and saw the whole thing. He composed a lot of beautiful music for the Greek Orthodox Church. He was an outstanding musician and teacher. He didn’t just teach us the music and notes. When we sang under his direction, we became the music. Every phrase, every nuance, every retard, every crescendo, and diminuendo. We felt it all. I felt the presence of God most when I sang under my pop’s direction. Priceless! For over 70 years, he gave tirelessly to his church, friends and family. ( He first became the choir director when he was a mere 15 years old) I owe most of my musical savvy and passion for helping others to him. Axios! It means worthy in Greek, and that he was. Wow! It was, and still is very sureal looking back on it. Losing a loved one is never easy, is it? In death, there is much life. We cannot help but want to continue- not just to live and survive- but to thrive. I believe that is how it should be. The tune in this blog is Wayfaring Stranger by the late Eva Cassidy. She is amazing and wails on this tune. I think it’s appropriate for what I’m feeling as I write these words.
This blog post is dedicated to him, and also to promote the organization that I volunteer for every year. This year will be the 4th annual Belinda Sue Fund Zoo Walk for Ovarian Cancer. I will be warming up the crowd prior to the walk, and doing a great cool down and post walk stretch. I hope you can join us. We will have a lot of great vendors, great music and fun for the entire family. If you cannot join us, please consider making a tax deductible contribution. The information is all in the link below.
So, this one is for you pop. I love and miss you tons. Thank you for giving us the gift of music and teaching us what is important. It is about love, compassion, understanding, and forgiveness. It is not about material possessions. It is about human connections. It is about nurturing and cultivating those relationships along our journey. It is about helping others. It is about honesty and integrity. It is about doing the right thing and standing up for what you believe in, no matter how difficult. It is about giving. For to give is to receive. Your legacy lives on, far and wide in all those whose lives you touched. We thank you, and shall never forget. I feel your love and spirit every day. I think at the end, my pop may have also felt like a wayfaring stranger. He was a man of great faith. Rest easy pop. You are free. Until we meet again…
And this is also for Belinda Sue, and the memory of my cousin’s wife, Seneca Moschouris, who lost her life to ovarian cancer at the young age of 37. May your memories be eternal and you all continue to rest in paradise. <3