Cynthia Nightingale

I have a flurry of memories of Bruce- a great montage of sweetness, generosity, presence, light, laughter, fearlessness, and formidable awareness of and dedication to the Truth.

About 10 years ago, Bruce came over to my little cottage in Oakland for a dyad night. I was surprised to see him as I didn't know how he had heard about the evening. But I was, as always, so happy to see him. The minute he walked through the door, I remember the feeling of the room changing, becoming lighter, like angels had fluttered in. It was sometimes amazing to me how his large physicality could seem so at odds with his lightness of being.

I recall the time (was it at Edrid's infamous Annual Intensive at Our Lady of the Redeemer in Oakland?), where Bruce had brought a girlfriend- a young African American woman who had just gotten sober. I had only been sober a few years myself and I can remember thinking, how in the world did he talk her into doing this?

Out of nowhere, I would "run into" Bruce at the Berkeley Whole Foods. This happened about every 6 months or so. Everytime, the look on his face, light, huge smile...he would approach me in exactly the same way; a big ole hug and then he'd grab both of my arms and look deep into me. And when I would see him at Intensives, the same thing. I used to always think these meetings to be purposeful and specially designed for my well-being, because I always needed what Bruce had to share with me. It was always something good- simple, true and timely delivered. He was like a Big Reminder icon.

Once after an intensive, I asked him about " I am Divine Me". He went into a very lengthy explanation about it and how it was, in his opinion, the fastest way "in". For the next week or so, all I could here was Bruce, in that low, booming bass, "I AM DIVINE ME, I AM DIVINE ME, I AM DIVINE ME."

I remember Bruce's 100th Intensive up at Isis Oasis. He was like a little boy when he was telling us about it.

I can never remember a time when I wasn't happy to see Bruce.
I can never remember a time when he wasn't total.

Reading the other blogs, I am aware that all of our memories are like the same memory of Bruce. It is just like the One Big Memory, or like the One collective experience. I knew the Bruce you knew. You knew the Bruce I knew.
Bruce, Divine, Bruce. I cannot believe that I will not see you again here.
I will miss you, entirely.

I am so grateful our paths crossed and that you were in my life. It is better for it.
Fly Bruce, fly.

Love, Cynthia