Thank you for your Love and Thank God for your Life
This post is from Bita Faraz, a dear soul who was one of my favorite students when I was on the faculty at San Francisco State University. She was also one of my Teaching Assistants, part of a structure I had established to continue working with advanced students, to better serve Ihe students enrolled in my courses.
Andrei was my very first Teaching Assistant one summer, on vacation from UC, Santa Cruz. The experience was so positive for both of us that I was encouraged to set up a structure for ten to fourteen students every semester thereafter. Bita was one of the special people who made it for a couple of semesters.
Bita wrote the following on October 4th, the day of the Memorial for Andrei. I am posting her writing under my name until Stefan, who is on the road, can settle down and make Bita an author on this site.
it has been two months since Andrei has been transferred to another space in time. reading all the memories of him, i find myself once again inspired by his life. the legacy that he has left behind, like a gentle breeze moving from one leaf to another, ever so smooth, touching people’s lives… proving once again the greatest miracle of life - making a difference in each other’s heart and mind.
years ago when i met dear Marcelle she would speak of Andrei and Stefan. the stories always inspired me to move toward something greater in my life, like a gentle lesson or a nudge, they settled deeply inside my heart.
i met Andrei once, as i was leaving dear Marcelle’s house, although the encounter lasted only few minutes, maybe even seconds, I remember his smile, and open heart and how gracious he was. i also remember his eyes filled with love for “human-kind”, something i was encountering for the first time in a man’s eyes….
Thank God for Andrei’s life….
“Did i learn to be kinder
to be more patient
and more generous
more loving
more ready to laugh
and more easy to accept honest tears?
if i accept those legacies of my departed beloveds, i am able to say, thank you to them for their love and thank you to god for their lives.” (by Maya Angelou, “Letter to My Daughter”)
deep embrace and love to the beloved hearts that sting deeply today….
Bita