"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance...

Day two in Palm Springs.

With no idea how long it would take, I set out to get the car registered in its new home state and to resurrect my California Driver's License. Not only did I accomplish both of those tasks, I also did a Trader Joe's and Target run. I was on a roll. When I got home, I went to Facebook and saw Gretchen Michelfeld's post.

"This afternoon at approximately 2:30 pm, Beatrice Terry Lopez died peacefully and pain-free. She was home with us. Surrounded by her family. Bathed in love."

I looked up from the computer at the bronze casting of Mercury I brought with me from Florida. The light hit the statue in such a way that the god seemed to manifest from light. I was overcome with a sensation of Beatrice, beloved of Mercury, manifesting into light.

The god of communication showered Beatrice Terry Lopez with all of his gifts. Each muse visited her with astonishing talent.  Mental images of Bea performing, singing, composing, writing, directing, and teaching flood over me.

I met Beatrice when she was a student at ACT in San Francisco. A friend of mine was teaching at the conservatory. Bea was her student and part-time au pere. In performance, it was clear she had a huge talent as an actress, singer, and dancer. Her gifts in composing and writing had yet to show themselves.

Beatrice's heart was even bigger than her talents. She eschewed the fame chase and devoted herself to teaching at a private school where she divinized children's theater with adaptations and original productions exquisitely tailored for young performers. Her gifts as a director brought out performances from her pre-teen ensemble that blew away audiences. The production of "Krishna in Hollywood" – written, composed, and directed by Beatrice Terry is legend. Her musical about Leonardo Da Vinci is Broadway worthy. Bea understood better than anyone I knew the sacred roots of theater. For her, theater was worship.

I know less of her career in New York City.  She was involved with many Broadway productions including "Spring Awakening," "Memphis," and "Gods of Carnage." I saw a studio production of a show she wrote while at Sarah Lawrence that was as good as any of the plays by other artists she nurtured to the stage.

Bea's glorification was her relationships – her family, her students, her friends, her co-workers. Most glorious of all, the off the charts glorification, is her marriage to Gretchen and the product of their collaborations, the inimitable Beckett. My heart goes out to both of you.

Dearest Bea, thank you for being among us and sharing so much with so many of us. I know you are in a better place. As much as I'll miss your physical presence, I'll look forward to meeting again "some time, somewhere, some how." Until then, God's speed and, thanks for the visit.