Dorinda had a way of looking at you that made you feel that just the two of you were sharing a special secret...and, of course, you were

My heart is being burst open by the Beloved,
   the Enchanter of my heart.

I marvel at the poignancy of this world,
   and am overwhelmed by it all!

I think of your face, my dear friend and sister,
The imprint you have made on my life...
     I cherish it!

I am so deeply grateful for His angels,
   surrounding you with His love and Remembrance,
     cradling you,
ushering your exit from this world with His
   care and protection.

I will miss you, dear sister,
   and feel love and gratitude whenever I think of you.

Godspeed.

You... the very special-ness and unique-ness of you,
   will be missed here!

Godspeed.

You are still part of me now,
part of my life still, though I will miss
   your face, your laugh and humor,
   your beautiful mind and perspective,
   your curiosity, enthusiasm... The whole, great
   big wonderfulness of you, my friend!
What a gift you’ve been in my life!

Look at the footprints and angel wings - the petals of beauty and poetry you have left in the lives of so many, dear one,

  Dear Dorinda, Godspeed.

I chuckle at some of the conversations that Dorinda and I took part in, but it was always fun and interesting. I was Dorinda's neighbor in Parks so we had many opportunities to chat. One day I had a horrible experience! I was taking care of my oldest daughter and son-in-laws dog as there were at a wedding in California. We had not put up a fence around our property yet and the dog"Toby" got out of my backyard, saw a car coming down and decided to chase it! I was yelling at the dog to stop which he did not and he ended up getting hit by the car and was instantly killed. Dorinda saw that something had happen and called me. She ended up coming over and her and I dug a hole for the dog. If you are at all familiar with the lava rock under the dirt on our prairie you would know what a challenged this was!  It took us a long time because of the rock and the fact that the monsoons had not sarted yet and the ground was dry and hard. Now that is a true friend to come and lend a helpinf hand.I will never forget that day and our conversation. We talked about God and she wanted to know my position on God as she was aware that I was a Christain. She asked me many questions but the one I remember most was how do I know God is real! I told her it is because I have a relationship with Him and that is the difference between knowing God and having a religion. When you have a relationship you feel his presence, he guides you and for me I have received many physical healings. So for me it is a no brain er because I have experienced Him working in my life. Religion is made up of thoughts and do's and don'ts but having a relationship with Him has proven over the years to be my saving grace in every circumstance. I told her that Jesus desires a relationship with us and that is what we were created for was fellowship with God. She took it all in and pondered the many questions and some I think that were still not answered for her. A few weeks later she told me that she had done a lot of thinking about what I said and that it made sense to her. I am not sure what that meant but I want to believe that she is in heaven with God and Jesus and they are celebrating as we speak. My advise to all is if you do not have a relationship with Him seek Him and see if He is real. He says "If you truly seek Him you will find Him." Gods peace and blessings be on all of you through this time of loss. I will always appreciate our friendship and the wonderful conversations we had. I will miss your ray of sunshine on our prairie Dorinda! Thanks for being such a great friend. I love you, Lori

Dear sweet, brilliant, loving, and generous Dorinda!! What a wonderful gift that you shared your path of spiritual care. There is no single story but you.

The quintessence of the perfectly un-reconstituted cosmic hippie. As I write this, I have on my celestial blue "be positive" t-shirt, having just imbibed a tincture of a "Bush Flower Essence," a gift that you gave me once that I still cherish: Five Corners. An essence for enhancing qualities that you graciously embodied and modeled: love and acceptance of self, celebration of beauty, and joyousness. Yes! joyousness. I can't recall a conversation with you where you did not come right out with some exclamation (like, even, "whoopee!") that showed your love of life and spiritual delight. I so appreciated and loved your happy talent as a healer that I shared sessions from you as a gift to others. I wish I had done more.

Conversations with you were like fun, rambling hikes through meadows, across brooks, through boulder fields, and up mountain sides. There are few people who, in a single conversation (no, actually a segment of one), could cover the topics of good food, quantum physics, mystic poetry, spiritual grace, qi gong, uprooting character defects, prairie critters, and... acid rock... and have it all be so freaking coherent! Yes! straight out of the elsewhere and into the moment of our good meeting! Thank you.

Thank you for giving me the honor of reading your early drafts of "The Elsewhere." Now, in the context of this writing, I see another turn in your insight: We are all early drafts of the elsewhere. I believe this was one of your messages. And you had many. Nearly every face book post was a gem of goodness.

Now, I am rambling. Let's end it, shall we? Wishing you the ever-ness in being with the beloved. Your dance within God's Arms, is already perfect...just sayin! :)

To Dorinda, Out of a Magician's Hat (by way of Hafiz)

The stars poured into the sky Out of a Magician's hat last night, And all of them have fallen into my hair. Some have even tangled my eyelashes Into luminous, playful knots.

Wayfarer, You are welcome to cut a radiant tress That lays upon my shoulders. Wrap it around your trembling heart and body That craves divine comfort and warmth. I am like a pitcher of milk In the hands of a mother who loves you.

All of my contents now Have been churned into dancing suns and moons.

Lean your sweet neck and mouth Out of that dark nest where you hide, I will pour effulgence into your mind.

Come spring You can find me rolling in the fields They are exploding in Holy battles

Of scents, of sounds - everything is A brilliant colored nova on a stem.

Forest animals hear me laughing And surrender their deepest instincts and fears,

They come charging into meadows To lick my hands and face,

This makes me so happy, I become so happy

That my rising wink turns into a magic baton. When my soft-eyed creatures see that wonderful signal We all burst into singing

And make strange and primal beautiful sounds!

My only regret in this world then becomes:

That your shyness keeps you from placing Your starving body against God

And seeing the Beloved become so pleased With your courage

That his belly begins to rock and rock, Then more planets get to leap Onto the welcome mat of existence All because Of your previous love.

The friend has turned my verse into sacred pollen. When a breeze comes by

Falcons and butterflies And playful gangs of young angels Mounted on emerald spears

Take flight from me like a great sandstorm That can blind you to all but the Truth!

Dear one Even if you have no net to catch Venus My music will circle this earth for hundreds of years And fall like resplendent debris, Holy seed, onto a fertile woman.

For Hafiz Wants to help you laugh at your every Desire.

Hafiz Wants you to know

Your life within God's arms, Your dance within God's Arms

Is already

Perfect!

~ Hafiz ~

Us, Felix and Regina, Austrian family members of Dorindas friend Andrea, remember quite a lot of special,unforgettable and happy moments with Dorinda while staying in Arizona. Whether in the tropical  heat of Phoenix or in a snowstorm around the charming house near Flagstaff, Dorinda was fascinating us with her outstanding warmth, hospitality, attentiveness and empathy. We felt so good with her. Thank you, dear Dorinda! The pet Bunny Hansi (left on the photo) was a gift of her to Felix. Hansi travelled with us to California. During this sunset on the pacific ocean we thought thankfully of Dorinda and dedicaed  this photo to her.

Felix & Regina

I like this photo of Dorinda very much as it seems to be quintessential Dorinda: smiling, open hearted with a sprinkle of impishness.  We were in a small cafe some place near the Grand Canyon when I took this photo.  It reminds me of a wonderful visit with her in 2001 when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time.  Spending time with her was always delightful and meaningful.