Remembering those who've gone before us

It’s Halloween this week which in my spiritual tradition means that we’re celebrating All Saints’ Day on 1st November and All Souls’ Day on 2nd November. These are important feasts when we remember those who’ve gone before us. In fact, the whole of November is dedicated to remembering and praying for the dead.

This may sound morbid but in fact it's a great celebration to honour those who we have loved and have left this world. It's also such a good opportunity to remember and honour what they left with us. This seems particularly poignant this year as last week my dad would have celebrated his 80th birthday. Sadly he died when he was only 65. But, he left me, my mum and sister and all who knew him with so many happy memories. So much he taught me, he taught through example, through the doing, the showing, not the telling. I learnt from him the power of really listening to someone. Full, undivided attention. That’s really saying something about a man who wore two hearing aids and relied on lip reading. He was a deep listener. He heard and understood what was not being said, as much as what was actually being said. People turned to him for advice regularly.

When I’m listening to my coaching clients at that deep level. Concentrating on them fully. Listening out for what isn’t being said, watching their body language, listening to their tone of voice, not just their words, I like to think that I'm putting into practice what my dad taught me by example, not just what I learnt doing my coaching diploma.

Dad had a real fascination in other people, their lives, what made them tick and I think that I inherited that from him and is one of the reasons that I was drawn so strongly to coaching. I love being part of my client’s journey. Watching her discover things about herself, grow and blossom.

So, here’s to remembering dad and everyone else who has gone before me this month with love and enormous amounts of gratitude.