Holidays December 2022 Dad's departure Guatemala and Chocolate Hazelnut bark
December 1, 2022, but one particular piece was written on 20 November 2022- the date of the anniversary of our dad's passing..
Happy December 1- Wishing all of you a bliss filled holiday season. This month I dedicate this newsletter to a trip to Guatemala, my late Dad, and chocolate hazelnut bark. Thanks for being a part of my life. I am grateful for the presence of all of you.
This Holiday Season......
Happy Holidays to all.. I am not sure and still learning all about embracing the joys of this season. Since we are far from family, we do something different each year at this time.
This year we were drawn to fly to Guatemala to Lake Atitlan to be with fellow Bhakti yogis and do yoga, chant, and receive the bliss of that beautiful country. Each day will be filled with new friends, ceremony, and group chanting as well as long walks along the shore of the land. Not only is the trip led by a dear friend Kavita McMillan from Portland, but I get to see my dear friend Katey who lives on the other side of the lake. Look above for some pictures of Villa Sumaya above. Katey and I are soul sister who are reuniting after three years. She relocated down there on the Lake about a year and a half ago.
Rainbows for Merwin and goodbye kisses- saying goodbye to Dad; Love Never Dies.....
All four Brochin kids in our family were blessed to have an amazing dad, Merwin Harold Brochin. Sometimes, I wonder if we all knew ours and other's point of departure we could have savored more moments in life. But , alas, that is not the way it was set up.
Our father, Merwin, was ill for several months with cancer of the jaw, and we had hope for the success of his radiation treatments. However, that was not to be so. In late November of 2001, I was summoned to Florida to say goodbye.
There is a longer story here but this is the gist of what happened:
Lori, Jimmy, Mom and I sat watching him in bed as the drip of morphine to dull his pain was doing its magic. We were watching his chest go up and down with deep breaths for several days, not knowing when he would be called to the other side.
On Tuesday, 11/20 I had a strong sense that this might be his last day on earth. We drove to hospice and sat quietly not knowing what was to come. What did come was a lifelong gift of his love and the aliveness that he still possessed even minutes from his last breath. Our first visitor was a kind rabbi who reminded us that he was near the end. We held hands and prayed with him. At around two P.M. a chaplain arrived and asked if he could lead us in prayer. He spoke slowly the words of the Twenty Third Psalm and at the exact moment that he said this famous line, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
And then it happened.. Dad opened his eyes, and I shouted to Mom, Lori, and Jim... "His eyes are open" We all rushed to his side and touched him. Before he passed, he looked each of us in the eye as if to say with love. I am always with you. It might have only been a minute or so, but the timelessness of his connection and them memory of that day will have stayed with us ever since and will until we return to be with him. There is more to that day and the ensuing conversations as well as blissful gratitude, and Reeses peanut butter cups. But the goodbyes did not stop.. The next day was the day before Thanksgiving.
Due to the proximity of Thanksiving, we all had to take separate flights up to Hartford for the funeral. Mom and I looked out the window and saw a beautiful rainbow out of our airplane window. When we were reunited in Connecticut , it turned out that Jim and Lori we also gifted with a rainbow at the same time.
In Judaism, we remember our departed loved ones with the lighting of a candle . In Hebrew it is called Yahrzeit. It's observed each year on the date of death by reciting kaddish and by lighting a memorial candle/lamp at home in memory of our loved ones. Today was the day.
And last but not least a chocolate holiday recipe. inspired by a video on YouTube..
Creamy Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Bark (see above for a picture)
Ingredients:
1/2 of dark chocolate large bar TJ brand very reasonably prices, a second dark chocolate bar, 8 oz,, also from TJ melting large chocolate coating chips, bag of roasted unsalted hazelnuts.. (Trader Joes is my go to place), a double boiler to melt all of the chocolate together. And make sure you have a fairly large piece of cardboard OR even some kind of tray that can fit in the freezer covered with parchment paper. If you do not have a large wide freezer, make a small batch.
1. Break up both chocolate bars and place them in the top of a double boiler.
2. Add water to the bottom pan (not too much)
3. Once chocolate is melted, add the hazelnuts..(sorry but I have no idea how much) More is better.
4. Tape the parchment paper over the cardboard (cut a side that works in your freezer making sure that the chocolate will not spill out all over the freeze)
5.Set time for about 45 mins and all the chocolate to harden. Remove from freezer and get some kind of mallet to chop the chocolate into pieces.
6. Due to the nature of the melting chocolate this will get soft out side of the freezer. So, put the chopped chocolate into a large plastic baggie and enjoy when you want. Even frozen it is not that hard.. This is our go to chocolate treat. Enjoy
In case you are interested in learning more about the upcoming year long Goddess Class, here is the link. You have the option of taking the entire class OR signing up for individual sessions held on different days of the week, with recordings and packets. Click below and then click again below that
https://www.susanbrochin.com/courses
Year Long and Individual Class Options