We are so blessed.....

Welcome all, thank you for being here. I am most honored to offer the blessing on this fine day.

As I gaze out on your faces I feel so much in this moment. We are all here today because one man had a dream, one man had a vision, one man lived the life he came here to live. Daniel Grayling Fogelberg is this man we honor today, his energy surrounds us as we celebrate his life, his path, his gift to us all. There are miracles each day, and we are living one now. We are so blessed.

Dan, we know you gave us a gift we never can repay. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Some of our family members have transitioned to the spirit world since our last gathering. Like the Eagle that flies in the Western Sky, into the setting sunset, we bless and honor those who have flown away…..leaving feathers now and again to show us the way.

We honor Wynn Drumm for his heart for Dan and his heart for Dan’s art.  Wynn was a pioneer in the cyber world for Dan; he was the webmaster of The Treehouse Fogelberg Fan Page since 1998. Wynn transitioned on March 28th after a four year battle with cancer.  He was 58 years old. We honor Wynn for his beautiful heart. There is a butterfly bush here at the memorial planted in his honor as a reminder of the love he so freely shared.

And, Patricia Jameson-Sammartano, Dan sis who made her transition in April at only 60 years old. Patricia, know you are loved here always, and we celebrate your reunion with Sean whom you so dearly missed while you walked here among us. And know, if you ever should need your fam; well, the offer still stands….we are here.

To all of you dealing with loss in one way, shape or form, may you feel healing today here as we meet.

We know there is no fear where these souls are now, and love is the only thing that matters. As Chief Seattle said “There is no death, only a change of worlds”.   

We will take a moment of silent reflection now to honor Dan, Wynn and Patricia. 

As we process all of the emotions we encounter today, the peace, the joy and the pain, I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3 that tells us there is indeed a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, a time to reap, a time to laugh, a time to weep; a  time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together. We are gathered here, now, in this time near these large stones, the Etched Boulders. Here at the memorial nestled along the river, under the trees, we are feeling so much, honoring it all and doing it together. And, when we all turn to head home from this journey, may we honor and be blessed by any tears as they flow from our eyes.  Let us taste their salt and know that they are the souvenirs of the love we all create here, there and everywhere that we allow our connection. We let our love shine, out from this place always…in all ways. We let it shine.

We allow the time NOW for JOY, as our laughter and our tears become one in the same. It’s the fall, harvest time, and with the harvest comes the feast of faces as Illinois “sees us” again! We are so blessed.

Truly blessed, truly connected, truly feelin' the magic of the moment. Let’s send a message to the world, we are here, collectively.  We celebrate all that we are, all we are becoming and all we will become because Dan Fogelberg walked his path and changed our lives forever.   

As we lift our voices to our wise and humble mentor, we know he hears us as we echo his wisdom back to him. As the moon ripens to full tonight, our hearts will be full of love as well; because, as we know, something can be said for love that’s pure. Let’s send love to each other now as we disperse and move into song and celebration. 

Repeat after me please. Ever On.