Bill Casey: Elegy. Epiphany.

Sitting in Arlington Street Church
Struggling to celebrate a life
While continuing to process the tragedy.

Bill Casey is gone.

The man who brought out the best
In so many who he taught and worked with,
The one always ready to do something extra:
Cabaret, Choreography, Costumes, Coaching,
The one with the affirmative nudge forward,
"We've got this!"

Bill Casey is gone.

As I sat there
I felt something.
I'll call it Epiphany.

Nothing so obvious as "Tongues of fire."
It felt like the room was filled
With an uplifting air.

Maybe an actual spirit.
Or maybe a collective sense and acceptance
That, as Rev. Kim Crawford Harvie said,
We are called
To carry forward his spirit.

That yes,
We've got to do this.
But yes,
We've got this.

At that moment
I saw Bill Casey differently
And realized, maybe for the first time
How powerful his talent and friendly guidance was.
And how, he never got angry,
But often got mischievous.

The power of mischief
To confront a challenge
And to bring others along
Where they often lack
Experience or confidence.

As I sat in the church I felt his spirit.
Confident. Iconoclastic.
Above us all and within myself.

I felt a little more calm
A little more confident
That taking a little risk will pay off.
I'll be ok.

I can hear him saying,
"We've got this."
Encouraging us all to
See and bring forth our best selves fearlessly
And have fun together.

So much is lost from that one man.
But now we all carry forward his spirit.

Floating above us all,
Whispering in our ear,
Speaking out from within our hearts.
Pushing us forward.
Always in a friendly, never angry or stressed way.

Never anger. Always mischief.
With the power of Mischief.
Still guided by Bill Casey,
We will carry on.

We've got this.


	27 January 2022
	by Bill Cattey