Samye Ling Memorial Service

/ Samye Ling/

1000 candles were lit at Samye Ling (Tibetan Buddhist Monastery and Centre for World Peace and Health) lat month to represent the 1000 days that Alan Ritchie was in residence there. It has sadly been a year since Alan passed away. SOBS Cumbria’s John Brown attended the beautiful display; monks chanted and the candles were lit one-by-one by friends and family, in loving memory of Alan.   

Anniversaries can be the hardest thing to deal with. Alan’s dad, Frank, finds comfort in the following poem, which was read out at his son’s funeral:

You’re My Guest in Thought

Once a day and sometimes more-
You knock upon my daydream door,
And I say warmly, “come right in, I’m glad you’re here with me again!”
Then we sit down and have a chat,
Recalling this, discussing that,
Until some task that I must do
Forces me away from you.

Reluctantly I say goodbye,
Smiling with a little sigh,
For, though my daydreams bring you near
I wish that you were really here.
But what reality can’t change
My dreams and wishes can arrange.
And through my wishing you’ll be brought
To me each day, a guest in thought.

By Mary Dawson Hughes

This beautiful occasion has inspired SOBS Cumbria to share experiences like these with a wider group. At the end of September, SOBS Cumbria are returning to Samye Ling in order for the bereaved to memorialize their loved ones who have passed away. Alan’s father, Frank, wrote a blog post about his visit to Samye Ling; you can view the blog here: https://medium.com/@seemescotland/for-the-love-of-alan-by-his-dad-frank-14d4b0467e6a#.hht6wpfc8.

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