It might be easy to feel bereft or hopeless, witnessing the departure of some of our most prominently kind and compassionate spiritual leaders. My journey of bearing witness began with my mother Betsy, as she peeked through the door, opening it slowly, reluctant to leave, and eventually passing through. I imagine her there and everywhere, at a writing desk in the sunshine, writing thoughtful invitations to the loveliest among us on fine linen paper. Ram Dass answered the invitation and went on ahead, laying sacred flower petals onto the path of mortality. My grandmother, Alice, followed last spring, planting poppies along the way. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Betty White, and now Thich Nhat Hanh have since followed into eternity in what, to me, feels like jarringly quick succession. These are the names I am most aware of, and also I am aware that my list is almost certainly missing someone close to your heart - spiritual leaders, public figures, or someone whose steps through life gave you courage and hope. The beloved is here with us, and the beloved passes into eternity.

We could despair, and we might allow ourselves some time to do just that. And we can also rejoice, knowing that their goodness will always be with us. They did not take their essential goodness away with them, but rather in the conservation of energy, they left it behind for us to borrow - to wield love as a balm, a tool for healing, a mirror for justice. Their teachings are here, their footsteps clear, and their path is ready to follow. They are here, and gone, as someday we will all have been here, and gone, and the tapestry of life and love, compassion and joy will continue.