Come Home....

From the book: Friendship's Offering: A Christmas , New Year, and Birthday Present
Boston, Phillips & Sampson Publishers 1846

May 28th--success with Brendan's Tribute Bench

The finale took place today, May 28th! Success, success, success!!!!!!
It took us a little over 1 year since Brendan's death to get to this point of success with Brendan’s bench. When I think about what we needed to do in order to manage, create and present this past year I realize how much Love, patience and determination were behind it all.
We want to thank you all First and Foremost, who have donated money and time towards the bench through the Tribute Parties on the West Coast and the East Coast.


These are the stages we went through to gain approval to install this magnificent memorial bench at the Historic Derby Park, for our dearest Brendan Lai-wing Leung.

2018 Last Year at this time:
1.May 2018: Payson started work on B’s Skateboard Bench. He Donated all his labor, the only cost being for materials.
2.October 2018, Wendy finds proposal cowriter Kristof Tigey. (UCSC Stem Cell Biologist & also a skater)
3. Kristof and Wendy meet for the next 6 months to write the proposal around the strict guidelines of the City Parks. Then Creating the PowerPoint presentation.

2019
4. March 8th :Finally Gaining an interview with the Superintendent & the Director of SC City Parks for approval to be placed on the SCCP Agenda. Both of these guys approved posting the bench on the agenda.
5. May 5th: Presentation to the Santa Cruz City Parks Commission. With a little bit of pushback at first but then the thumbs up from all commissioners. Under one Condition of SCC Parks Commission: receive the blessing of Sgt Derby’s Family.
7. After successfully receiving blessings from the Derby family we moved on to the Santa Cruz City Council Agenda for the final approval.
8. May 28th: The finish line!!!!…..B’s bench not only received approval, Payson was also praised by a council member during the meeting about his wonderful sculpture bench shaped like a skateboard!
9. Finale: Ribbon cutting ceremony approximately 3 months from today. TBA.....

Oh My Sweet Crushed Angel

Sufi Poem by Hafiz - My Sweet Crushed Angel

Credits to Daniel Ladinsky

You have not danced so badly, my dear, 

Trying to hold hands with the Beautiful One. 

You have waltzed with great style, My sweet, crushed angel, 

To have ever neared God's heart at all. 

Our Partner is notoriously difficult to follow, 

And even His best musicians are not always easy To hear. 

So what if the music has stopped for a while. 

So what If the price of admission to the Divine Is out of reach tonight. 

So what, my dear, If you do not have the ante to gamble for Real Love.

 The mind and the body are famous For holding the heart ransom, 

But Hafiz knows the Beloved's eternal habits. 

Have patience, For he will not be able to resist your longing For long. 

You have not danced so badly, my dear, 

Trying to kiss the Beautiful One. 

You have actually waltzed with tremendous style, 

O my sweet, O my sweet, crushed angel.