The Alabama Gulf Coast
by Terri - November 2, 2006

At the Sand, Sea & Spirit retreat on November 1, 2006, five friends helped me release Danny’s ashes into the Gulf of Mexico...Bethany, Christine, Melissa, Dana and someone else who's name I can’t remember.

The retreat was given to me as a gift and a healing opportunity from Bethany just after Dan died. It took place in a large condo complex on a beautiful stretch of beach on Fort Morgan Road. The place was filled with amazing people; seekers who understood spirit. It was very comforting. You can see how happy I was there when you look at this picture of me.

I wanted to thank Bethany for arranging my free enrollment at the retreat and wondered what I could give her as a gift. She knew Danny and loved him, and it occurred to me that she would treasure a bottle of his ashes. Then I realized that the two of us could wade into the gulf and do a little ceremony together, and when I suggested it, she loved the idea. We planned to meet on the beach at 6 pm.

As I walked down the boardwalkI ran into several new friends, and by the time we got to Bethany we had become a group. I invited them all to join us, and they were thrilled to be part of it. I knew that whomever ended up being part of our ceremony would be the exact people Danny chose.

We walked to the shore and each of us said a prayer and scattered some ashes. It was dark night and the moon was nearly full. The moonlight on the water was beautiful. The water had been very calm, gently lapping at our feet, but as soon as we started our ritual the waters got more energetic, the waves got stronger.

I brought Danny down to the Gulf many times while we were living in Alabama, and once in a while I was able to wheel him down a ramp for a better view of the water, though most of the ramps ended up destroyed from the recent hurricanes. The closest he ever got to the water was the day we took this picture of him.

But that night at Sand, Sea & Spirit Danny got to be on the sand and in the water, and I could feel him laughing and loving it, as usual, surrounding by adoring females.