Ado Bill Harmon Made His Transition This Evening
In reflection of the sudden illness and subsequent death and internet buds father, earlier this month, he shared this writing on "Transition"...
May it encourage you as it has encouraged me... thru my recent surgery The first phase of transition is an ending.
Coming out of the transition and making a new beginning. This is when people develop the new identity, experience the new energy, and discover the new sense of purpose that make the change begin to work.
Going through an in-between time when the old is gone but the new isn't fully operational is the neutral zone. If you escape
prematurely from the neutral zone, you'll not only compromise the change but also lose a great opportunity. Painful though it is, the neutral zone is the individual's best chance to be creative, to develop into what they need to become, and to renew themselves.
Because transition is a process by which people unplug from an old world and plug into a new world, we can say that transition starts with an ending and finishes with a beginning.
With a change, you naturally focus on the outcome that the change produces. The starting point for dealing with transition is not the outcome but the ending that you'll have to make to leave the old situation behind.
"Every beginning is a consequence. Every beginning ends something. "
---Paul Valery, French Poet
Before you can begin something new, you have to end what used to be. Before you can learn a new way of doing things, you have to unlearn the old way. Before you can become a different kind of person, you must let go of your old identity. So beginnings depend on endings. The problem is, people don't like endings.
Yet change and endings go hand in hand: change causes transition, and transition starts with an ending. At some point, we have to let go of something.
support our brothers - hold each other
TEXT BY ALEX (IN PICTURE WITH BILL ABOVE)
The After Days
When death comes, it sometimes gives you a glancing blow, And the grief it leaves in it's wake is surmountable and you manage to go on with your life without missing too many beats. But there are those other times when it hits you square
between the eyes and it demands that everything stop and attention be given. The funny thing is that you never know if the blow will be glancing or a full frontal hit. And what's more, it has nothing to do on the surface with how close the person
was to you.
Funny.
Bill Harmon's leaving for me, is one of those full frontal hits. I did not see it coming. Yes, I knew his health was being challenged but still... I thought he would rally and we would have more sunny days at the beach as before.
So I am left adrift in grief and having to deal with this new gap left by his leaving. And what a gap. His was a sensitive, creative and humorous spirit. He could say things in a funny way. I loved that. But even more his presence was always special, adding much flavor to any gathering especially at the beach. The beach loved him. Blessed with the best legs on earth,
it was the perfect place for them to be seen. I would watch him as he walked along the sand playing his flute. Or see him in angel wings, bathing suit, and flute. What a vision. Or see him come down the sand, ask to spread his blanket out
next to mine, and off he would go. Coming back to change from swim suit to sarong, to leopard print and back again. Those were glory days. The illusion is that they would last forever. But all things past and you have to cling to memory. Again I am reminded to live in the moment, for all things are soon done. These pictures were taken by Rod (2004) on one of those very rare days at the beach. Bill brought quite a few changes of outfits that day and accessories. He and Rod coaxed me into some of them as you can see. I knew then it was a special day then, as I do really know now. You can see it in the light and in our faces. Rod thanks for capturing the moment in these pictures. Use them as you see fit. And to all of us: Life is unfolding as we are waiting for just the right moments- THESE ARE THE MOMENTS!
-Live in the moment.
In total gratitude for his life having touched mine,
Alex
Photos by Kwame Banks
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