Namaste - March 4, 2011

Karen and Bob shared this story and pictures from a few years ago when Pete was working in construction with his friends, Dave, and Dave's brother, Trevor.

They say that people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Pete was definitely someone who came for a season. Back in '03 we hired Dave to put an addition on our house, something we later began referring to as "Operation Snowball" because things just kept adding on and on as the work rolled along. Pete was one of the guys that Dave brought along to help.

I'll never forget the day when I was downstairs in the kitchen making a salad for lunch. The next thing I knew, Pete's leg was dangling in front of me! I screamed so loud I'm sure my heart skipped a beat. He had managed to slip between the ceiling joists before the sheathing was in place for the floor. Thankfully, Pete wasn't hurt, so it gave us all a good laugh. Dave came down to survey the damage, the whole time shaking his head saying, "Now I'm going to have to fix that, too", referring to the gaping hole in the ceiling's sheetrock. I had to toss the salad since it now had bits of sheetrock and dust in it. I don't recall what we actually did for lunch that day, but I'm guessing it was a good excuse to go down to Vinnie's and pick up a Cheese Steak instead.

The addition that they were working on was to be a Yoga Studio; a sacred place where people come to stretch and pray - reuniting mind, body and spirit. In yoga we learn of an energy body. Whether preparing a meal to nourish others or hammering boards together to create a room, our energy is transferred and becomes part of what we are doing. That's why it's so important that in everything we do we are attentive to the task and we do it with a joyful heart. I am so very blessed that my home and studio were built by such wonderful souls: Dave, Pete and Trevor.

The language of Yoga is Sanskrit and we greet and leave each other with the word Namaste. This translates to the divine, or light, in me honors the divine, or light, in you. Pete's light is very bright and I know that it still shines because the spirit never dies.