A Powerful Testimonial: Surviving Loss by Telling stories

Each year I present keynotes and workshops across the globe - famous corporations, mid size corporations, startups, respected universities, along with high schools, middle schools and community groups - some affluent and some very poor. Each audience is different, each individual participant is unique, but I have found we all have this elemental attraction to listening to stories about the power of the human spirit to survive loss. After my presentations I sometimes get touching (and very welcome) letters from audience members.

This was a special message from Richard and Jane Waters about Tony Willan that they have agreed to share. Words about love and loss and the healing power contained in stories and a simple, sacred ritual built with a stick and stones.

Hello Shaun:

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you. 

I’m sure with your many speaking engagements along with the widespread circulation of “The Surfer Code” you get many heartfelt sentiments from people all over the world. 

Well here’s one more - straight from the heart:

In June this year our family suffered a tragedy. My 60-year old brother-in-law Tony passed away from an unsuccessful quadruple bypass procedure.

He was a vibrant, positive person going through what we thought was a routine procedure. Total shocker.

He was not a wealthy person, but was very rich in his relationships with family and friends.

After an intimate ceremony attended by family and friends, he was cremated. The ashes were given to his two sons. The plan was to scatter his ashes in the forest at Big Bear Lake near Snow Summit. We made the arrangements.

In thinking on an appropriate memorial for him (he was not religious), I remembered the talk you gave on the CRISP IMAGING cruise in early summer and in my reading of “The Surfer Code” Chapter 12 “I Will Share Stories“.

After re-reading the story to my wife, we decided to pitch the idea to our nephews. All agreed to move forward to construct a “sacred story circle” at the memorial, place one story rock in the middle for each attendee and fashion a talking stick. The stick was made from Materials gathered at the memorial site. 

My wife kicked off the sharing and almost all attendees shared their“Tony stories”.

It was an incredible experience. Each attendee walked away with a story rock after the service. Some were personalized. Others blank. Made no difference. They all walked away with those stories embodied in their rock. 

Powerful stuff. Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for that gift of remembrance. We are eternally grateful. 

Sincerely, 

Richard and Jane Waters