It has been unseasonably hot here in the Bay Area the last 3-4 days, with the temperatures in the 90s and 100s. I suppose if you have air conditioning, that’s ok, but most people living in San Francisco and Marin County do not have it. The only way to cool off is to get into the car and use its air conditioning, or go into an office or restaurant.
Being hot makes it easy to space out and be really uncomfortable. We get irritable. We get out of sorts and cranky. It’s hard to focus.
Everyone here has a pretty good attitude, though. Everyone remarked on the weather, but no-one really complained. People just plowed through it.
Recently I’ve been really busy, doing my usual stuff but also some additional work. Twenty years ago a former student asked me to be his executor upon the event of his death, and I agreed. He wanted the school to have the money from the sale of his antiques, and put Psychic Horizons in his will.
I was unaware of his death until late last month when one of his neighbors called to let me know of his passing. I felt unhappy with myself that I hadn’t kept more in touch with Robert, so I said my private goodbyes to him during meditation. It turns out that he’s pretty happy.
Death can come at inconvenient times for those still here.
Beyond that, I realize now that when I agreed to be his executor, I was younger and dumber, because it’s a lot of work! More recently, I’ve had experience with being an executor when my Dad died, and as was the case with my Dad, Robert’s death came unexpectedly. Death can come at inconvenient times for those still here. It’s interesting that I had been thinking about Robert the last month before I received the news, and had planned to give him a call. I was just a little late.
Since we are leaving for an international trip soon, I needed to get a lot done about Robert’s death and estate before we leave. There’s the cremation issue, dealing with the Medical Examiner’s office, meeting with his attorney (at which point the battery in my car died), meeting with our estate attorney, going to the Columbarium, cleaning out his apartment, dealing with his property manager and selling his antiques, calling his credit card companies, bills, files to go through, etc. It’s amazing how much there is to do when someone leaves their body.
But then I got myself back out of feeling pressure, out of future time … and got back into present time.
I realized at one point that I could easily get irritated and get cranky — and I did get cranky for a few days. But then I got myself back out of feeling pressure, out of future time and anxiety about whether we could get it all done in time, and got back into present time. Making a list and then doing one thing at a time, staying present. Things started to go more smoothly, and now things are moving right along.
One of the great things about Psychic Horizons is that we have graduates who are in many different professions, and I refer to them whenever possible. Our estate attorney is a graduate, the woman dealing with the apartment and selling the antiques has been in the antique business for 35 years and is also a graduate. My partner Katie who has been helping me so much with all the work is a graduate (of course). It’s amazing to work with people who have great attitudes, don’t complain, and know how to be present!
It’s amazing to work with people who … know how to be present!
So we will go off to Rome knowing that things are in good hands, and that the most immediate things have been done. Now we get to do the immediate things for our trip, using the same game plan – staying present!
As always, thanks for supporting Psychic Horizons & the Church of Natural Grace with your sustainable giving! It truly makes a difference, both for us and for you.
Have a wonderful summer, and come take a meditation class!
Best regards,
Rev. Laura Hopper
Originally published June, 2019
