The Parish Family Blog

Happy Halloween 2006

Lily created an awesome Halloween outfit.

Dad's was less, shall we say, inspiring. Lily picked it out for me. It was one of the many costumes created by Sharon in the family custom box.

We had a good time, though, and I took a ton of pictures of her friends who also had fun and creative outfits. The kids did the trick-or-treating, the parents stuck around and, well, talked until the tribe returned. We were at Ron and Joan's tonight, Bailey's house.

Boo!

Tom

All You Need is Love

Ah, maybe we have the beginning of a '60s revival.

Well, regardless of any nascent trends, hugs are timeless. Leave it to citizen-generated content to do something of this nature and power.

Thank you Zoe Grace Cozens for:

Free Hugs Campaign. Inspiring Story! (music by Sick Puppies)

Just watch it ... trust.

Tom

Jensen Walker - Costume Photography

Hey folks, check out Jensen's latest gallery of photography - Halloween costumes and boy howdy what a collection!

Remember, there is an interview with him at TalkingPortraits.

Enjoy
Tom

The BD Weekend - Oct 28-29th

This weekend Lauren was here visiting, and on Saturday we had the community gathering to celebrate Sharon's 50th BD.

It's Sunday night as I write this. I'm feeling some sadness that this weekend is over. There is a big part of me that wishes Sharon was still here, and I can feel that rising up in me this evening.  I wonder (more lately) what will life be without my mate, my friend. What makes sense at this point in my life? I miss the companionship and yet I'm not in a hurry to replace something that was so beautiful and precious.  It's an odd place to be at 52, after nearly 20 years of being in love with Sharon.  I can sense I need to catch up on my sleep tonight and let myself relax and let go. It's been a long weekend.

Looking back through the weekend we all enjoyed together, it was a very connecting time with the family and friends.  I treasure all the conversations with everyone over the last few days.  These one-on-one times where we look at each other softly in the eyes, listen, touch and take in what is so seems like the essence of life.  While we stood on the back porch Saturday night, saying a prayer before our dinner, I just waited and listened to the quiet, and we all looked at each other. A sacred moment and a reminder of being alive. A moment to just be.

I've uploaded the lastest big batch of photos for a while. We went over and checked out the progress at Justin and Juliet's place on Saturday morning.  Then we had our potluck. Sunday, Lauren and I went over to Grandma Gerry's to see the minature goats and minature donkey. They are pretty darn cute. I had fun with the camera.

We're just back from taking Lauren to the airport. Lily and I are settling in to watch a bit of TV, then head to bed to begin a new week. It's time to move forward.

Love
Tom

PS - Special thanks to Pam and Fred for the beautiful flower arrangement that seemed to stay so fresh from Thursday until tonight - Sunday. And for that creative touch from Jenny Meadows who set it on the table with the picture from our wedding.

Celebration #2 for Sharon's BD in Austin

The house is buzzing with friends as we get the place together for a larger gathering of friends. The weather is cool and the sky blue. Everyone feels very up and excited. I do too.

I've spent the entire day with Lily and Lauren - shopping. I'm learning this 'mom' thing and having some fun with it. Scored a few points with some clothes I recommended. Even surprised Lily with my choices, so good for me. We went over to Justin and Juliet's after shopping to say hi! Then to Central Market for some food, and now we're home, getting the placed organized.

Ann McMaster just showed up and has a beautiful new car - a hybrid oyota Camry. I was really impressed with the gas mileage.

Ok - this just in from Bruce Mulkey. Please take a moment to read:
A message to my dear friend Sharon Parish on her 50th birthday

It's so touching and captures some of the history we've had together over the years. I remember thinking of Bruce lately as I went through Jenny Meadows' pictures (on Thursday) of the Great Texas Campout(s) Sharon organized for so many years. Those were wonderful times.

Ok well ... more to come.

Love
Tom

Sharon Turns 50 Tonight at 9:45

What a glorious day.  Received a wonderful call from about 20+ people from the More to Life Centre in the UK. Beautiful acknowledgments, and I gave them a chance to hear Sharon talking with us through the chimes. She was really active today - and rightly so.

Tonight we had the family over for a meal and cake. You can see the pics. I created another album at
http://picasaweb.google.com/tom.parish

Gerry (Sharon's mom) said Sharon was born at 9:45pm at night.

So, happy birthday, Sharon. Love you, always. You've touched us all and we see your gifts.

Love
Tom

PS - I found more video clips. Will put a few up over the next few days.

Happy 50th Birthday, Sharon!

I woke this morning with a feeling of happiness and a bit of dread. While preparing the morning tea and turning on lights and equipment in the studio, I decided to sing to Sharon - 'Happy birthday to you ... ' and i just couldn't do it without crying. Didn't get all the way through. Maybe tonight at dinner with the family.

As Peggy said this morning ...

"Hi, Tom. Boy, I'm missing her today. 50 years old...."

Here are some pictures of Sharon from Peggy. Perked me up to see Sharon's bright smile and ever-present love coming through these photos.

With that, I'm happy to be alive and looking forward to our family gathering tonight and a larger one on Saturday. There is a celebration for Sharon's life happening in the UK later today also. Sharon touched so many of us with her love.

Love
Tom

Personal Stories at Sharon's Memorial Service

This video is from our memorial service for Sharon. There were some 500 people attending at the Austin Waldorf Performing Arts Center.

This segment is about 25 minutes and includes all the stories that were told. There are some great ones, too!

The one Joe Birdsong tells at the very end (he's been my Aikido sensei for the last 15 years) is about the first time Sharon and I went to Aikido summer camp. We were so scared for six days straight. Six hours a day of Aikido. At the end I was to take my first-ever test in front of everyone. Sharon and I got into a bit of little scuffle at the end of the last practice Saturday morning, right before testing time. Well ... I'll let him tell the story. This is one of many great ones. Enjoy.

Tom

A Birthday Letter to Sharon from Sherry Merritt

This letter from Sherry Merritt touched me deeply this evening as we prepare for Sharon's birthday. I've already had one call from Clare in New Zealand. Sharon visited her a couple of times, I believe, to lead the More To Life Weekend trainings there a couple of years ago.  And since it's already October 26th in New Zealand, she wanted to be the first to call.

And now this beautiful letter from Sherry:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Dear Sharon,

My heart is swelling with gratitude for you, my dear friend. You really did teach me how to FLY and you are still teaching me. Thank you for showing me what living "full out" looks like. Your smile, your sweet spirit and your kindness will be in my heart forever. I love you, I feel your presence in so many ways. I miss your physical presence but your Warrior spirit resides in me.........we are One.

Your greatest gift to me personally is showing me what unconditional love is ........... You always modeled that for me, Sharon. My tears are falling freely now, my heart has been pulled wide open by you.

I've said many times "why?"  It's not for me to know why................I imagine you with the Angels...........leading them, teaching them, while God smiles proudly by your side.

There is such a void here without you...........then I BREATHE and reae there really is no void at all. You are in so many hearts and so many thoughts. You have touched so many people in such profound ways.   My words do not seem enough right at this moment.............but I hope you feel my heart. It is so soft and gentle...........just like you.

Fly, my friend..............Fly over the mountains.............Fly with the birds........Your Warrior spirit is sprinkling its love in places we don't even know about.

Fly, my dear friend.........Fly

All my love,

Sherry

Happy "50th" Birthday, my friend!

Sharon Jacobs Introduces Sharon Parish 1988

You're just going to marvel at this. I did. I have found video tapes I recorded nearly 20 years ago. I'm guessing this clip is from 1988.

You are about to meet Sharon Jacobs. A lifetime friend of mine and Sharon's who provides an incredibly thoughful, loving and prophetic monologue about Sharon. Sharon Jacobs was Sharon's partner in Rose Graphics in Houston, Texas. I remember to this day how much fun it was visiting them in their office.

Sharon says this about Sharon Parish in this 1988 video clip: "She loves the world around her and goes to an extreme to express herself ... I learned from her that it is really ok to be who I am totally." Now how familiar does that sound to you, about Sharon?

Then there is a pretty revealing conversation with Sharon about ... 'me'. Oh my, how embarrassing.

Well, here's the point. Sharon was all about one thing and lived this all her life, it seems:

--- What has been awakened in you now? What have you learned now? And now? ... and now? ... ---

God, I miss my princess.

Love
Tom

Don't Be Shy!

Have a story - funny or sad - about Sharon?

Please feel free to post it in the comments. Or, if you wish, send me an email and I'll post it for you.

Found any more pictures of Sharon from her travels? Would love to see them.

Let's make some noise out there this week in remembrance of Sharon for her 50th birthday around the world. With a little luck I have a number of little videos to post this week. So stay tuned for more here.

Love
Tom

Warriors Flying

Getting 'into' the morning exercises - Mary Bledsoe, Sharon, and Briggy.  There is a fairly steep hill you climb, then on your way down you practice letting yourself go or "flying" - versus pushing yourself to do it right, fast or whatever you think you ' have to do'.  Looks to me like these three found a creative way to have some fun with it - all out! They are in the parking lot at the side of the venue in Forrest Hills.

This picture sure captures the excitement and zest generated at the week-long Way of a Warrior training (folks, we're talking spiritual warrior) every year in Georgia.

Thanks for this, Briggy!

Tom

More Pictures for this Week of Celebration

http://picasaweb.google.com/tom.parish/

The London 'More To Life' Community Remembers Sharon

Remembering Sharon Parish

The London More To Life community is coming together

to honour and commemorate

our senior trainer, WOW enrolment co-ordinator, spiritual warrior and friend

Sharon Parish

on Thursday 26 October 2006

which would have been the day of Sharon's 50^th birthday.

We will gather at Hampstead Heath in London

on Thursday 26 October 2006

at 18h30

for a short event led by Briggy Kiddle.

We will continue our commemoration of Sharon's life

at the More to Life Centre in Belsize Park

from 20h00 on the same evening.

We would love to have as many of Sharon's friends and fellow warriors there as possible, so do pass on this invitation onto anyone else you think may want to come!

Please RSVP to Nicki Spurr at nicki.spurr@gmail.com or

0772 686 7868

by Wednesday 11 October. Specific location details will follow.

In memorium

Sharon Parish

26/10/56 – 31/05/06

More Pictures - Some Oldies

These are from Sharon's dad.

Thanks, Fred, for sending these (some time ago now). I'll be adding more to this particular collection. It's separate from the other collections.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tom.parish

And there is a bonus collection of some fun shots of Lily.

Enjoy
Tom

Warren Kahn Sent These from California

.
Sharon and Warren
Sharon did love red.

This is Sharon on stage with others from the Kairos Foundation at a Leadership Conference. From left to right: Martha, Jan, Carolyn, Richard, Sharon, Sophie, Pascale and Sue.

Sharon Parish in New Zealand

These just in from Clare Vivian-Neal in New Zealand.

Sharon always spoke so highly of visits and trainings there.

Tom

Clare and Sharon

Justin with Mom - The Last Few Nights ...

This is from Justin's experiences with Sharon in late May 2006, before we made our final goodbyes.
Tom
---

"It is strange to think back to lying in the hospital bed. When I walked into the room and saw Paul lying next to Mom I was so tickled. It was such a sweet and beautiful sight.  I felt very resistant to lying in the hospital bed with her, so much so that I never could get quite comfortable.  When I think back to that night, all I can recall is the fear of getting in trouble for being in the bed.  Lying next to Mom's body was strange. It was so lifeless, so un-animated, so not Mom.  It was hard to get comfortable and just fall into being next to her, even though I knew it was the last time I would ever get the opportunity to lie next to her body...

breathe

...underneath all that is the sensation of how soft her skin was.  And how warm her body felt next to mine.  Her cooing breath wispily caressed my face, and I couldn't help but imagine it being kisses and sweet nothings. Those were our final moments face to face, mother-son... I love you too.

Looking back at photos of Mom is really strange now. They seem really flat.  I guess that is all part of it. How do you capture all that she was in a fraction of a second?  But I am grateful for all those stolen pieces of time so that I can have something to go back too, something to remind me of how beautiful she was...  The real treasure, though, is remembering her, all of her, the good and bad, the gifts, the lessons, the patience, laughter and all the love that we shared...  I miss you always...

Justin

Having Some Fun with Color - We're Talkin' Creativity Here!

One of the fun family rituals that we all enjoyed was watching the occasional amazing 'things' we found on the Internet. In keeping with that tradition, Justin recently sent me these two links. I immediately thought of Sharon, because I can just see the look on her face and then hear her excited voice - Let's watch it AGAIN, and again, and again ...

Hope you enjoy these highly creative videos as much as Justin, Lily and I did last night.

Note: You'll need a Broadband connection, and if your connection is slow you may need to adjust the playback size there on the webpages below.

Video 1
http://www.bravia-advert.com/paint/thead/full/

AND YOU MUST SEE the "Behind the Scene" piece on how they made it - even better.

Video 2

http://www.bravia-advert.com/commercial/braviaextcommhigh.html

AND YOU MUST SEE the "Behind the Scene" piece on how they made it - more detail here.

The Many Faces of Sharon - Pictures Galore

Alright - by popular demand I'm finally collecting together all the pictures I can find of Sharon. I've hardly scratched the surface. I'll be getting more up this week as they roll in and as time permits.

So send along anything you might have that you'd like to see posted. And check back this week daily for new additions in this montage. You might need to scroll down to see the new ones. This is just a start at pulling them together.

Visit
http://picasaweb.google.com/tom.parish

Enjoy
Tom