To All The Dear Friends of Sarah Nirguna Marten,

Our Sarah passed away peacefully in the early morning of January 9th. She was quite prepared to surrender the body of this life, without fear or regret.   Her joyous smile emerged playfully, even toward the very end! While I was sitting with Sarah, a young nurse came in to her room two days before her death and asked perkily, and somewhat nervously, how she was doing that afternoon.   Sarah, who was woefully thin and weak at this point, tossed me a glance of deep irony, eyes twinkling.   Somehow, she could see the play of life as if from the top of a mountain looking down.   She could wince with discomfort while simultaneously raising her eyebrows in an expression of humor and understanding at her own, particular predicament. I will never forget how, as the disease progressed, she took more and more command over how she wanted to die, refusing medications.

As painful and heartbreaking as it has been and still is, I feel honored to have been part of this precious experience with Sarah. I can speak for so many who just can't believe how fortunate they are to have encountered the  spontaneous gift of her presence. We've received a wave of letters expressing how Sarah, simply through her light and joy, changed the course of their lives. She, more than anyone I've known, showed the timeless power of unbridled openness and kindness.
She was, and is, a guiding light in this world. We are planning a memorial in a few weeks. Sarah requested that her ashes be freed into the sky above the ocean. So like her open heart! I will try to post when the date becomes clear. Thank you all for your support and letters, and for being part of this journey with us. Much love! Sue and Mark Allen