Going Home, Coming to Earth
On April 19th, the day we met our newest great grandson, Ashton Luca, born just after dawn on Good Friday, we were going to see my dear ninety four-year-old friend and colleague, Dr. Uwe Stave. But he had died that morning at home, surrounded by his loving family who had cared for him and when we came to the house, he had passed.
His face was peaceful, the well formed brow, the strong chin, the whole countenance firmly imprinted with the intentions and uniqueness of his spirit from a life well lived and a mission well served. It was good to be in his spiritual presence for he was a noble man who had lived a life of service. Born in Germany, his Waldorf school was closed by Hitler and he was wounded in the war, suffering many deprivations as did so many then. He became a doctor, spent many years in the United States as a research pediatrician, headed the first Anthroposophical medical University in Europe. He was married seventy years, had a large family and was an infinitely kind, courageous, spiritually dedicated individual who was committed to the work of Rudolf Steiner.
We were partners for over eighteen years presenting Caring For The Infant and Young Child courses at Rudolf Steiner College, and it was an honor and a privilege to work with him. How fitting that the day I would come to say farewell to him, I would then go to meet our newest family baby.
One felt angels quietly attending both meetings. As I sat by Uwe’s body, pale, spent, so well used and now abandoned as the spirit moved on, the spiritual presence was robust, timeless, quietly fulfilled to overflowing with his earthly deeds. With the baby the tiny form was delicate, rosy, and fragrant, the new born features soft with awaiting promise of the imprinting and shaping by the spirit that would be coming in.
I was taken part way over the threshold by these two dear people in my life, soul lifted and expanded, a bit unsteady in the physical realm, needing to check my bearings on the earthly plane as they transported me part way into their spiritual world. So can the wonder of the angels and the spirits of elders and newborns move through the souls of the constellations of individuals that gather around them. At death it is a gathering and welcoming by the angels, enfolding the eternal spirit back into renewed existence. At birth it is a gifting - an divine offering made with trust-filled hope as new life is given into our human hands. The essence of this dear elder was a warm wisdom-filled blessing for all those present in his wake the little baby came as into our arms like the Christ child, overflowing our hearts with hope, healing, and heaven.
When I took this picture nearly twenty years ago of Uwe greeting and examining our newborn grandson, Nathan. while his loving mother, Carolyn, looked on, I was full of awe and gratitude for his professional knowledge and loving warmth with which he held the baby and deeply took the child in. I am grateful that for his 90th birthday, I was able to share the following thoughts with him and all present. “What a wonderful gift to the world that nearly 10,000 newborns have had meeting Uwe as a first experience in life, and to have been welcomed to life on earth, by being held and beheld in the discerning and healing gaze, the gentle hands, the warm smile and reverent, loving heart of Dr. Uwe Stave.”
