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Hi friends,
October started well with my family health scares smoothing out and life becoming somewhat normal again. Things took a sad turn a week later when I learned Anne Saxelby passed away at the age of 40. To the culinary world, she was a cheese icon and pioneer, but more importantly, she was a benevolent guardian of kindness, respect, and thoughtfulness. I didn’t know her intimately, we had a brief lovely exchange earlier this year and I could feel her magnanimous nature come through in each email…I have now read countless stories of her positively affecting everyone she came into contact with and I feel lucky our paths crossed.
These past few months have triggered deep reflection about human excellence and the preciousness of life. What does it mean to be a good person, how does one balance work and family, and when is the right time to be taken from this earth? I don’t know the answers, but this excerpt from one of my favorite Mary Oliver poems Sometimes offered a bit of comfort…
Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
I have a feeling if I follow these directions and take inspiration from people like Anne who embodied graciousness and curiosity, I will make it through each day more gracefully, and in the end that could lead to a life well-lived. The days just keep coming, each one is a fresh opportunity to be present, do better and dip our toes deeper into the flow of soul, it’s a daunting but exhilarating process that we are blessed to be a part of.
XOXO
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