EDITOR'SNOTE: On June 18, I received the following communication from Will Mitchell's wife, Janet, in Texas. Will Mitchell was a good friend from the years I lived in Paonia, Colo. A light worker, among many other things, Will was one of those unforgettable people in your life. He fought cancer of the liver for many years, the result of his contamination to Agent Orange while he served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam era. Along with some other Paonia lightworker friends who made their way into characters in my novel, Will was an inspiration to me personally and was reflected in the character Wes Andrews in Rainbow Majesty. Thank you, Will, for being such a Light in my life ... and to many others.
 

by William J. Mitchell

        Well, I guess if you read this, my final email, it will mean that I have finally crossed over to the other "side." Please do not mourn for me, or have any sadness. We all have to go at some time, and I think that it is important to ponder it at times. But I leave with the fondest of memories of everyone. You are all so dear to me, and I am a bit sad that I will not be able to be with you any longer -- laughing, acting silly, talking about my travels to foreign lands, politics and different philosophies. I loved travel to foreign countries so much, the most favorite is my beloved India.
        As you know, I have also enjoyed study of the world's different religions, fascinated by differing beliefs and wisdoms. I had an adventurous life, and had many different jobs to satisfy my curiosity -- carpenter, surveyor, beekeeper, orchardist, heavy equipment operator making roads through forests, amateur photographer, writer, and geologist, explosive expert, lumberjack, farmer, stain glass artisan, a social worker for emotionally troubled teenage boys, a glass fusing artisan -- melting glass and metals together, an organic gardener, and a monk for 10 years.
        I traveled to India five times, often staying four months, in remote villages in the spectacular Himalayas, to Nepal, Tibet, Sikkim, Africa, Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, Europe, China, Israel, and other places, eating and staying in the simplest of places -- so that I could learn the most of the culture, and rub elbows with the ordinary people.
        I hiked and camped in just about every state in the USA, hiking almost 2,000 miles solo, and have seen such beauty and wonder, such beauty and wonder -- our Earth is so wonderful, and I loved it like a dear friend.
        I have met some of the most interesting people in my travels, holy men who could perform miracles, children and mothers so playful and content, wild animals in their element, unusual plants and rocks, mountains, rivers, vistas, and just ordinary people with so much love and caring in their hearts -- that you would just want to take a piece of them with you, and to put it in your heart -- forever.
        Forever ... forever ... nothing is forever ... or is it?? Almost two-thirds of the world's population believes in a world that we will go to after we depart from this one. Now, I guess I am finally finding that out right now.
        Like all people, I have made mistakes, and am so very sorry if I caused any of you pain; but I have also learned to love as well, and had a spirit of adventure that confounded many -- it was just such a big world, I wanted to go everywhere, see all the different lands and peoples, to learn and study everything!!
        I leave this world full of love and pleasant memories of you all. I do wish you all prosperity, long life, and health -- a life in which all your dreams will be fulfilled, and your hearts filled to the brim with love and happiness.

William John Mitchell
October 8, 1950-June 11, 2013
 

BACK TO WHAT'S NEW

2013 SUBJECT INDEX