Dear MSR Community,
It was a terrible shock to me to learn that Andre passed away last week. He was an important friend and mentor and we worked together on numerous projects and events. I will never forget his gentleness, his wisdom, his deep commitment to his faith, and the beauty of just being in his presence. I am not at all surprised at the outpouring of love for Andre by the countless numbers of people he touched all over the world. For those of us who were blessed to have any kind of interaction with him, we will remember him as a Great Man – one of those rare people you meet in your life who inspires you to live up to the best that is in you. His dear friend Ricardo Levy told me that in the days before Andre's surgery, Andre was very much at peace and that his primary feeling was one of gratitude for everything that was happening. Now it is our turn to feel grateful for knowing Andre and for the ways he touched and inspired so many of us.
Andre's funeral is next Saturday, and it will be a private service for the family and close friends. On October 28th, there is a Memorial Mass at 2pm that is open to the public, and I know it will be a huge gathering. The mass will be at the Mission Church at Santa Clara University. A reception will immediately follow in the Locatelli Center on campus.
There are so many good ideas about ways to honor Andre's legacy, and a listserve is a great way to generate those ideas, but probably not the best place to make a decision. I suggest the the MSR Executive Committee make a list of the different suggestions and after exploring the pros and cons, make their recommendations to the MSR members. Some ideas might need funding, such as an award or paying for a silence room at conferences. The MSR Executive Committee can set up a mechanism for raising the funds and can let the rest of us know.
Dan Harris, Yochanan Altman, and I are organizing the IAMSR conference in Fayetteville, Arkansas, May 18-20. Andre would have been centrally involved in the conference, and you can be sure that the conference will be designed in a way that carries on Andre's legacy. Dan will have more details about that in the near future.
Finally, the best way you can honor Andre's legacy is to spend some time every day in silence and strengthening your connection to the Transcendent. Out of that practice, you will receive the guidance and knowing of how to live your highest self in the world. That's what Andre would want. I once told Andre that I found it difficult to find enough time in the day for meditation. He told me, "Then you need to meditate twice as much as you currently do." With his passing, I take that advice to heart more than ever.
With Love,
Judi Neal, Ph.D.
Chairman & CEO, Edgewalkers International
www.edgewalkers.org
+1 479 871 9116 – mobile
Author:
Edgewalkers
The Spirit of Project Management
The Handbook of Faith and Spirituality in the Workplace
Creating Enlightened Organizations
Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation (forthcoming)