Everyone we meet in this life is karmically important.

We just got an email from George who stayed here in the guest house where I am living (for one more week). George is a larger than life Texan who is 87 years old. He was in Nica in the Peace Corps in the 70's. He has been back to visit his friends and host family many times. This was clearly his last trip here. He came using a walker and oxygen and knowing that he has a terminal illness. His politics and world view are exactly opposite of mine. He loves guns and capital punishment and all that Texas stuff.

He came here for several reasons. He wanted to make sure his friends were in good shape and offered help to those who needed it. He came to complete his circle and say goodbye to a precious part of his life. His visit was very tiring for us. He had a great need to talk and sort things out with whom ever would listen to him. Sonja and I put in many hours. One day we hired a driver and went to a hill town overlooking a volcanic lake. We had a wonderful sit. Some random nuns came by and sat with George and prayed for him. Tears ran down his cheeks. We had a great lunch in Santa Katerina. It was very hard work for George, with his bad breathing and his difficulties walking. We had a kind of communion of endings and letting go.

This big loud Texan shared a sort of spiritual completion with us strangers. Today he sent an email saying his breathing had degenerated and he was leaving his ranch and moving into a home. I was not surprised. I won't be at all surprised if he dies very soon. He told us he had completed his life in Texas and he certainly completed his business here.

Right before my father died, he asked his various kids if he had left anything undone. When we said, "no", he let go. George didn't have to ask, he had a list. He crossed off the last unfinished task, was generous with his spirit and his last energy. I haven't figured out what our karmic connection was, but it was an honor to spend time with him and one day soon, I will get the insight into why I was part of his completion process.