Goodbye is always hello

​Goodbye is always hello
 
One of the regular emails I get is the latest news or thinking of Nick Ortner who is best known for The Tapping Solution or the use of  a technique called tapping in the healing process. This morning I opened up his email and learned that Louise Hay died yesterday at the age of 90. She was and continues to be known as a healer with great insight, courage and compassion.  Interestingly she died on the same night that another teacher and healer, Wayne Dyer died two years ago.    The significance of the date of her death will be viewed differently by each person whose life she touched. 
 
I was not surprised to find that the news of Ms. Hay’s death came via way of Nick Ortner.  Although I have never met him in person, I have read his book and look forward to his newsletters.  I have also been blessed to know others who have studied with him and who generously share his loving wisdom with me.   I had met Louise Hay and Wayne Dyer.    Both of these individuals were among those who have shared their loving and healing wisdom with me and many others for many years.  
 
I first became aware of Louise Hay in 1986.  In December of 1985 I had been told that I had AIDS and because the test to diagnose HIV had not been available until 1985 the virus had been destroying my immune system since 1981.  The prognosis was not very promising in terms of life span.  Obviously, that was inaccurate and eventually medication which suited my particular body allowed me to live a normal life. My diagnosis was later downgraded from AIDS to HIV+.  
 
I did several things after being told my diagnosis:
 
·      Got myself appointed to the personnel committee of the organization for which I was working so that I could draft and push through an anti-discriminatory AIDS policy.
·      Reorganized my apartment to ensure that it was as handicapped accessible as possible.            
     Helped  to organize, along with a local physician ,  local AIDS Task Force.
·      Connected with those who were exploring healing practices which worked well for those living with a chronic illness.
 
Louise Hay joined Dr. Kubler Ross, Ram Dass and other wise, loving people to sponsor healing retreats for those living with HIV/AIDS and those working with those living with HIV/AIDS.  At a time when many health care professionals were joining in the chorus which called AIDS the Gay Plague, the punishment for homosexuals (they were judging and blaming people for getting infected),  Louise Hay was among that small number of people who embraced those living with HIV/AIDS and those working with those living with HIV/AIDS.  For Ms. Hay, this life journey was a healing journey for all of us.  She did not present herself as the healer or the teacher so much as the student who would gather others to share with her this journey of healing. 
 
There is a long list of Louise Hay  healing quotes but the one I recall first hearing was:  “We are perfect in our imperfection.”   In other words it is no surprise that we are humans, that there is no reason or method for determining that some are more human than others, and that the central reason for this life journey is to grow spiritually.  Another wise morsel I heard her share soon after I met her was “Love is never outside ourselves; love is within us.” I understood and understand this to mean that it is only when we connect with our essence which is love that we experience the love of others and they experience our love.  To say that love is within us is to say that love is within every human being no matter how may barriers one may have erected which prevents one from experiencing or sharing that love.  When we let go of those barriers  our love connects  to the love of everyone else who is letting go of those barriers.
 
Since yesterday, a number of people have posted their favorite Louise Hay quotes on line.   One can just google Louise Hay quotes.  I do not need to repeat those here.
 
When I was diagnosed with AIDS I had to say goodbye to much of my life as I knew it.  I also had to decide if I was going to say hello to this new opportunity to grow spiritually.  I do recall right after learning of my diagnosis saying  to my friend and colleague, “I am not ready to die.”  Fortunately I was much too busy living to give much thought to dying.  
 
Louise Hay, although no longer living this life journey, along with many other spiritual leaders, will continue to invite others to join her in saying hello to life.  
 
The other night I was talking to a colleague who is working with Hospice.  He mentioned that often he is asked if it is depressing working for/with those at the end of their life.  He replied that quite the contrary. It is often a joyous time.   Many spend their time with hospice  opening to the freedom of letting go of everyday concerns and more fully embracing life.  Often it is a time of forgiveness and embracing what is and not what could have been.  
 
My personal experience is that each day and sometimes several times a day I can be very intentional about choosing a new dance of life.   Louise Hay was one of the teachers who gave millions the permission they needed to dance a new dance.  Perhaps in a perfect world we would not need permission, but being the humans we are we need to give that that to each other.
 
Goodbye to Louise Hay. Hello to Louise Hay.
 
Written  August 31, 2017