Sudden Change of Course

I registered early to attend the conference in Albuquerque because I couldn’t wait to be with all of the T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) folks where Justin lived and taught — and where TCC started 50 years ago. It felt electric so I made sure I had a hotel room and a flight. I was ready!

Guy Kent called in April to ask if I would lead the Raffle & Auction for the Conference. I told him that I had never done it before but figured I could find help. I emailed Bonnie Sokolov and Judy Trousdell because they had run the raffle and auction in 2019 when we hosted here in Minnesota. Judy kindly agreed to co-chair this with me. 

Judy was amazing. She and Bonnie had streamlined how the raffle and auctions worked and sent me the paperwork. We had so much fun. The Albuquerque conference committee was great and supportive. Everything was ready. Raffle ticket sellers were in place. Holly graciously accepted the lead for the live auction. I mailed all the supplies to the center so I could pick them up on Wednesday and set them up on Thursday with Judy. 

Then, the world changed. I tested positive for COVID which had never happened to me before in the hundreds of tests I had taken. I was crushed — why now? Sometimes life’s road suddenly falls away, and we are on a new road. It is unsettling and confusing. 

A couple of days after my COVID test I received a call from the hospice person I was supporting. They did not want me to come to our weekly Wednesday visit because the patient had tested positive for COVID and did not want to put me in danger. This dying person’s concern was for me and my health. We shared a deep and heartfelt conversation which turned out to be our last. My patient died the following Monday. I felt blessed. I would not have had that conversation had I not had COVID. 

I heard that Judy and the co-emcees, Holly Trenary and April Leffler, did a fabulous job. I heard that the conference was magical. I remain humbled by all that TCC has taught me over the years. Especially to be open to the cosmos and the love that flows through it and us.