Sufi Remembrance

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One Memory for “Tony Selim Laszewski”

1. on 02 Jul 2011 at 4:08 pm1Zahira Rabinowitz

   What I Know of Tony Selim

   Physically he was an unimposing man,
   more djinn, gnome, or elf than what we envision as hero.
   Yet he was more heroic than most men could ever hope to be.

   He described his experience of days-long samadhi
   in his younger zen period, with delight and wonder.
   “ . . . and then I met Ashara and her five kids . . .” he said,
   “all under the age of 10.”

   He married them, created one more child, and raised them all.
   He took them on consciously out of love
   and an innate sense of dharma known intimately
   only to some special souls.

   He also fathered Ashara’s Sufi family,
   fixing our cars, sharing our griefs, joys, and romances,
   opening his home and his heart to all these
   strangers within his gates. . .
   even hosting Murshida Vera frequently–
   one of his greatest challenges!

   He fussed and he worried,
   set up his family tent for Murshida at retreat camps,
   and shepherded us at those camps,
   our protective guardian angel.
   Later, after retiring from his parole officer career,
   he was occasionally rewarded with getaways
   to the beach with Ashara in their RV.

   As she returned to school and began
   work more suited to her true calling
   Tony settled more into running the household
   until the blood vessels in his lower extremities
   could no longer pump and had to be amputated.

   Tony rose to this challenge as he rose to all the former ones.
   He adjusted, exercised, rehabilitated,
   tried an assortment of wheelchairs and mechanical limbs,
   took himself for motorized chair “walks” around Larkspur,
   loaded & emptied the dishwasher,
   performing those tasks he still could,
   and taking an interest in everyone around him,
   always ready to share a joke, a hug, an anecdote,
   or a fine point of spiritual philosophy.

   As his stalwart heart gradually weakened
   he used oxygen to help him breathe,
   went in and out of the hospital,
   suffered various forms of pain and medication,
   physically dwindling and weakening,
   while spiritually growing, readying
   for the long journey home
   that he’s now taking.

   He said he was ready,
   that he wasn’t afraid.
   He took on the challenges, heartbreak,
   wonder, and richness of life
   like the giant he really is.
   And now his huge soul is soaring
   like a great egret home
   into the welcoming arms
   of the divine beloved.
   Rest in peace, Tony Selim,
   secure in the experience
   of a life fully lived
   and of your permanent place
   in the hearts of everyone who knows you.
   It’s impossible to know you
   and not to love you,
   bless your beautiful soul.

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