Susan’s Herd
Posted on April 6, 2015 under Storytelling with no comments yet
Susan’s vast collections of giraffes
Dozens of giraffes. Dozens and dozens. All lined up on a table; an honor guard of sorts for the late Susan Eaton. It seemed so appropriate. After all, giraffes have great vision and the woman to whom they came to say farewell was a visionary in her own right. As one of the eulogists said, “Giraffes can see far.”
I didn’t know Susan all that well but I knew about her. When I ran for mayor in 2004 I had the opportunity to meet her as she was the chief returning officer. Three things struck me immediately: she was smart, she was firm and she was impartial. She was the perfect person for the job. It seems that everything she did, she did well. Simply put; she was a force.
She championed many causes and virtually every one of them had to do with dignity, equality and social justice. She was a doer and a dreamer – the former fuelled by the latter. She was a facilitator extraordinaire and had the uncanny ability to synthesize complex issues and turn words into action. She didn’t just produce the road map. She frequently led the charge, often brandishing a placard. And when the going got tough? She whipped out her kazoo and her wonderful sense of humour.
Speaker after speaker spoke of her glowingly. There was music, reflection and a room full of respect. If everyone who wanted to speak had been granted a few minutes at the podium the service would have run late into the night, such was the admiration for this amazing person.
Susan walked the talk. She did things. She took action. And even though she had very strong opinions about many things, she was always respectful of the other point of view. She fought a lot of battles in the trenches for the benefit of others.
I was one of a handful of men scattered among several hundred women. It was the most amazing gathering I have seen in one place at one time. Strong women. Smart women. Passionate women. Artistic women. Caring women. Spiritual women. Nurturing women. Practical women. Irreverent women. Funny women. Big picture women. We don’t often see them all together because they are out there getting the job done.
Susan often opined about solidarity. This was evident when everyone in the room raised their voices in song at the conclusion of the ceremony.
I think the giraffes enjoyed the afternoon too. Susan’s brother offered a gift of one of Susan’s giraffes to anyone who wanted one. Even in death, Susan was in full “sharing mode”.
Susan’s herd: the women and men left to grieve her passing. Let us also rejoice in her life. And the next time you have a chance to do something that needs doing – stick your neck out.
( The very last sentence was contributed by yet another smart, strong, witty woman….Betty! )
Comments