A few weeks ago, I wrote about the passing of my dear friend, Marisa Bryant. This weekend, we gathered with her chosen family for a celebration of life on Saturday and many also attended a more intimate time at her home on Sunday afternoon. Both events showed me something I’d never considered before: often it takes a death for circles to collide.

            Her chosen family included friends from dog shows and breeding groups, horseback riding, alpaca groups, Humane Society, music groups, crafting groups, church connections, food pantry volunteers, and neighborhood friends. We all had one common bond: Marisa. And we would never have connected at her bedside while she was dying or at the memorial events if we had not all met and loved Marisa.

            As we ate together, shared stories, sang and played her favorite songs, made new memories, and laughed together, it made me sad that Marisa couldn’t be there. She would have enjoyed having all her people together in one spot, relaxing, and interacting as family.

            It made me wonder why we wait to gather all our loved ones when that person is either in the final stage of life or after they have passed. Why don’t we hold Celebration of Life ceremonies before we die so that we can enjoy sharing our chosen family in their various circles while we are still living? What a blessing it would be.

            I’m thankful for our sweet friend that we all miss so much, who brought all her circles together. What a joy it was to learn so much more about her and honor her memory in a way that would have brought her continuous smiles and joy.

            If you get the opportunity to let circles collide while someone is still alive, please make it happen. What a blessing it could be.