Ari’s Onward Journey

I went to the ceremony on Thursday 14th Jan in St Werburghs, Bristol for Ari, 7-month-old baby of friends Liz and Daniel, marking, as they named it, his ‘onward journey’. He was born prematurely. His parents have lived in an annexe of the Bristol Royal Infirmary for these months since his birth, caring for him. But his lungs just didn’t develop enough to sustain life.

The ceremony was held mostly outside, under blue skies, gathered around a fire. How Liz and Daniel have been with it all has been the most amazing thing. Liz posted on Facebook, beautiful, open descriptions of their experience, allowing all the rawness and range of intense emotion to be seen and shared. At the ceremony, Daniel carried the small willow coffin into the space, slowly, silently, and making eye contact with everyone as he passed them: one of those experiences I don’t think I’ll ever forget. Their utter graceful openness with it all has brought out, allowed, so much love. It showed me, again, how death can forge a deep connection and a real community – when the reality of it, and everything it brings, is opened to in this way.

Dayajoti

[Thanks to Liz and Daniel for permission to post about this including photos. Photos by Stephen Duncan.]