Yesterday we had a unique day on our family Camino. My Rebecca, Our Wiley and myself attended a ceremony for an end of life. We have a friend who was one of the Wrestling Mom’s when all our boys and some of our girls were on the team back ages ago. Wiley was with all those kids for thirteen years up through all the grades so we have all grown close.

Laurie had a constant cancer companion for years. Finally it became overwhelming and she chose to do the death with dignity. That was our first time to accompany a friend in one of these. She had about a hundred relations and friends there to be say final goodbyes and see you on the other sides. Then before the very end most of us walked off and her close family remained with her. She had already taken the substance and she supposedly only had fifteen minutes left when we made our exit.

It was all so lovely and peaceful and full of smiles and laughs and support for the family. Her whole passing seemed so like Sture’s death that you saw in the Phil’s Camino documentary. On that day too we were all partying and no muss no fuss Sture flew away.

Only on Vashon would this all occur at the local funeral home. The director of the place was also one of the Wrestling Mom’s and had turned the whole place over to the family. Not only for this one day but for the last three months of Laurie’s hospice. The whole extended family had been camped out there, a scene. Only on Vashon.

So it was good to see most of the old wrestlers and some of the coaches. They all were thirty or forty pounds heavier and had hair when they didn’t before or didn’t have hair when they had it before. You know. Anyway it was a reunion of a tight community within a larger tight community and pretty special.

Bon voyage Laurie! Love you! We will watch out for your family like always! It was a great day! You look so beautiful, like Gandhi! Yes! And see you on the other side!

If that were one of us we would all say, “Buen Camino!” Laurie said to me that she always thought that I would beat her to the finish line but here we were with her ahead. Funny how things work out.

the day after loves, Felipé.