The Hazards

Gulbarg (Gogi) Singh Basi, Sucheta Kamath, Rabbi Jason Holtz, Kathy Hoffman, Kemal Korucu, Dorie Griggs and Rev. Sydney.

In Golf, one is advised to avoid the hazards. Hazards are obstacles that slow your play, such as water or dunes.

My friend, the Reverend Sydney Magill-Lindquist (that's her on the right) passed away to-day. The death was not unexpected, but she had been fighting cancer for years and, by and large, winning for so long, the end came rather quickly.

We knew each other, not because I attended her church (she was a Unity preacher and later a frequent guest Pastor at the One World Spiritual Center, but because of her husband, Scott. Scott Lindquist was an actor and director looking for people to help with his radio theater company, "The Philco Radio Players". I auditioned successfully and we became fast friends. With the occasional rehearsals held at his apartment, I met Rev. Sydney who was warm, intelligent and good-natured. Having been promoted ot artistic director of the company, I was over so often frequently, she'd come home and say hello to her "two husbands".

One of my favorite times with them was a night that Unity held their "Traveler's Christmas"service. It was a night of music, worship and interwoven with the service, radio theater. Scott wrote a pastiche "Lum and Abner" script that featured a young expectant couple looking for lodgings (get it?).  The night went well, but it also marked the first time I saw her preach live, which was a joy. It was inclusive, love-filled and instructive. It was not only blessed, but it was a night of laughs, too.

Another time had nothing to do with radio. I was at the house doing some computer work (oh, yes, I was the computer guy, too!) for them and as I left, snow didn't begin to fall so much as plummet. I made it to the end of the block and doubled back. I ended up working from home (theirs) for two days and as funny as it sounds, it was my first slumber party, in my fifties! We had a great time and the customers never knew the difference.

Scott's passing affected her deeply. She told me the story of how they met and they were truly meant to be together. This is perhaps why, at the time of her passing, I'm sad, to be sure, but I'm also happy that they will be together again, no longer in pain, enjoying each other's company. Rev. Sydney was not afraid to die; as a matter of fact, she came close to death once before and it would seem that God had other plans. They had started a podcast and when he died, she said with a smile that it was a posthumous assignment to continue it, which she did for a couple of years afterwards.

Scott gone? HAZARD. Cancer? HAZARD. However, instead of playing around them, she faced them head on and dug her way back out as best as she could and inspired many as she did it. She's not entirely gone. Take a look at one of her messages. While some talk of inclusiveness, look at the photo in this entry. She walked the walk.

I'll miss her erudition, her humor and her positive outlook.

Watch out for the hazards, though. Just don't despair over them.

Good night, Rev. Sydney.