Vickie Lea Quibell 10/27/1951 - 11/18/2008
Dearly beloved Friend, Mother, Grandmother, Daughter, Sister, Aunt
It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain!I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithlessand therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see beauty even when it's not pretty, every day,and if you can source your own life from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”
It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.
It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.
by
Oriah Mountain Dreamer
. . . . .Please e-mail me with anything you might want to say about Vickie, or comment in the comments section below, This page is now permanently parked, so that you may come visit her any time you want. I've copied (and included below) the comments from the original spot for this page,
Kip
From her good friend Mary -
Prayer for Our Lost Loved Ones
Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather
openings in Heaven where the love of our
lost ones pours through and shines down
upon us to let us know they are happy.
A look at the stars, the touch of a hand. . .
You are wished whatever comforts you. You
are wished whatever brings peace to your heart.
From Grandmother Barbara Vitale -
Do not cry for me, for I have not left you
I am the wind in the trees, the sound of the birds singing. I am the cry of a new born,
the first flower in the spring, the last leaf in the fall. I have been and always will be
one of God's creations. I am in a place so beautiful, you cannot even imagine.
Love surrounds me, and I am free. Celebrate that I finally understand who I am.
From Kay -
Took in many stray cats and allowed them to take over the home when they needed to; remembered everyone's phone numbers, family members, and birthdays; channeled universal wisdom, which she called "Stream of Consciousness"; introduced many to the Red Road; sobbed for the children starving all over the world; wept from her heart over war and cruelty, not understanding how anyone could take the life of another - no comprehension of cruelty; was confused by lies or deceptions & games; loved being with people; took great joy in being of service; did not know her own worth until near the end; remembered the unique details of all her encounters and shared many of them as teaching and/or laughing stories; began working at the age of 15 and did not stop until her betrayal by the City she gave so much to, healing her wounded spirit while she waited for her wounded body to do likewise; did not say "Good-bye", as this signified the last time she would see someone. Instead, she said "Love, love, love" or "See ya" or "Bye, love you, bye"; never betrayed a confidence; believed that all encounters not entirely positive were there so she could learn how to better be of service; believed in the power or Light and Love to overcome any and all darkness; believed in rules and law; spoke her heart but rarely her mind; gave to everyone what she thought they needed; gave her last meal to the homeless man on the corner because she had no money; took care of her Elders and their families in MANY ways without telling anyone the whole of it; lost weight near the end feeding others instead of herself; taught me to always think the best of another, to run around the lodge clockwise and not step between it and the fire (for those of you who remember!:^), to trust in the goodness of people, to overcome my awareness of self in order to be aware of others.
Just a note from the webmaster, Kip here. If you find that the comment you want to put in here is too long, and the comment box won't accept it, that's perfectly OK, just e-mail me what you want to put on here either at kiprwilliams(at)hotmail.com [replace the (at) with an @ symbol] or k.williamsdesolationangel(at)gmail.com [again, replace the (at) with an @ symbol]. I'll make sure it's posted up here.
Hi family,
I am at a loss for words...it is kind of hard to grab hold of this one. To Vicki, I love you my friend. I feel you are on a grand adventure. We are feeling brused and confused but we are celebrating at the same time the grace and beauty that you are...the great gift you have given us all..to remember to treasure each moment...each smile...each tear with each other. We truly feel grief and longing to see you one more time...I know you are fine. I am thankful to this beautiful family for the love and kindness each and everyone of us knows and for the kindness and support being given to your beautiful sons and grandson. I am loving you all and hold you in my heart. Together we will get through this.
Lulu
She is an amazing example for the way all of us should conduct ourselves. :) Thank you everyone.
-Matthew
Hello. Dale here. Thank you for this posting and the info.
Prior to writing this, and just prior to hearing the news of her passing, someone kept knocking at my office door, yet when I would open the door after yelling repeatedly "Come in"....and no one would be there...this has happened four or five times...I think I understand now.....as Joseph would say..."Good One!"
I am still stunned at the sudden transition of Vickie, but I wish her well. My prayers go out to you and the community, and of course to her family as well.... When I heard a few of the details of her passing, I couldn't help but at least smile.....an early departure to be sure, but a departure true to Vickie's style as well.
Vickie and I were friends for almost 15 years now- we shared ceremony, tears and laughter-and she was a constant inspiration for someone like my self who is spirit led on an often lonely road. Through her I have met many wonderful people, including Kip and Mary and the members of the Michigan community-and through her I learned, laughed, cried, and loved constantly.
So many memories of sharing life with Vickie-moments fewer in the past years as we both continued on our way-and a sadness that our hoped for get together over the holidays will not occur except in spirit.
Vickie is a joiner of circles, someone who did her best to bring people together to share knowledge, to support, and to just enjoy the company of a fellow human. So many communities have been touched by her, so many people encouraged to move forward in their own community.....so many reminded that life is indeed discomfort and a level of pain, but that the joy outweighs these inevitables, and that joy is equally if not more so inevitable, if we allow ourselves to make room for it. And if we keep going.
She was an amazing teacher and elder, even at times that she so adamantly denied she "wasn't teaching anyone!"
I am not certain I will be able to make the trip to Michigan.....But at the danger of being overly poetic....let's join our prayers over the next few days, and open that lodge door for Vickie as she transitions into further lessons, further teachings, and a form I suspect, that will allow her to have an even greater effect on this world that needs spirits and people like her so much.
And I am confident I will see her in the lodge, and looking forward to sharing the pipe with her again soon. Likewise, I hope there may be room for me to join you all in ceremony soon as well.
My love to you all. Thank you for all you do.
All my Relations.
All my Family is here.
In tribute to Vickie:
It is difficult to believe she is not with us.
In truth, we as a group, can never be and be not with her, for Vickie's presence and energy was and is an integral part of the glue that binds us
and identifies us as a lodge family.
A family that hangs loosely yet strongly and compassionately together.
Vickie's natural. easy, sprite like Spirit of love and acceptance was a homeopathic elixir we all enjoyed and shared in.
She helped us heal our hearts.
We love you Vickie.
Now we understand the power of your joyful
trust and strength. Now we know how truely blessed we all are you came to us. We cannot
be and be witout you, our Vickie, because you
became a part of what we have come to be.
Eve
Greetings Dear Ones....
Greetings Vickie, i trust you are hearing all of our hearts as we send our blessings to you as you journey home to the creator.
Mz. imani here.
i wish that i could gather in comm(on)unity to celebrate Vickie's life and the wisdom she clearly received and openly shared. I wish i could be with you all so that i could learn more about you, and our sister Vicki.
I wish i could be there with you to play the Hang and sing, whether alone in the woods or in a circle of family....
please know that i will honor the gathering from here in maryland and i send my prayers and blessings. I will vision all beings come who attend these ceremonies will come together and co-create a place of harmony and gratitude. perfection and balance
Most who will read these words knew our sister far better than i had the opportunity to know her.
.....and she touched my heart...
she helped me see more clearly who i am, amd who i am becoming. Vickie showed me compassion, love and sisterhood each time we were together. She shared a willingness to care for life and for the people in her life. A DEEP sense of care emanated from her, both for those she knew well and loved dearly, like Grandma Bertha, and those she barely knew.
dear sweet sister, you will remain with me thru time and space. i will sing for you, sing for us, as we move closer to spirit and to each other. i promise to honor your teachings and your bright spirit!
Fly Free, dear one, Fly Free!
May All Beings Know Peace, in our lifetimes!
much love,
Mz. imani
I just want to say thank you to Vicky for being such a radiant being! It was a priviledge to know you and your family and a priviledge to be part of this greater circle of friends tht come together to honor you. Your smile and stories are going to be missed dearly on this side of the veil and I'm sure enjoyed by all on the other side. I love you. I miss you and I'm so thankful that I got to talk to you Sunday night and say those things and laugh with you. You asked me to do some things Sunday and I will work hard to make them so.
In loving memory --Jim
The only word to describe my state as I read Vickie's obituary in today's Ann Arbor News is shock--that such a vibrantly alive person is no longer here. I met Vickie when she and I worked at Ulrich's Bookstore in the late 1980s--a great coworker and a brave woman who met her many challenges head on, while treating everyone she met with kindness. She deserved to live many more years.
Chris Stier
Thank you for your smile, your warmth, the invitation that you are and will allways be, your embrace, your tears, your strength during adversity, your laughter and love, your friendship and comradship, your tenacity and dreamwork. Your sharing of yourself, from the depths of your being. I thank you. I thank you, I thank you.
I so much appreciate the sharing about your sons and grandson. The gift of gifts. You have given us so, so much...thank you.
In Community and Love,
Vee Jay