R.I.P Michael Dowd: A Man for the Future of All Humankind.
Michael Dowd was truly a man of the future: a person who embodied the virtues that we humans have to learn as we march toward an uncertain destiny. Michael saw that we have to be proud of being part of God’s creation, that we are part of nature, that we have to live with nature, that we are not eternal, neither as single human beings nor as societies and civilizations. That’s what we are, what we are meant to be, and the only way we can be if we want to live in harmony with each other and with God’s creation. We may hopefully learn from Michael how to be truly merciful and compassionate, as he was.
I never met Michael in person, but I spoke with him many times, watched his podcasts, and he interviewed me once. These are sad news to hear, but Michael’s memory lives in his work. May he rest in peace in the loving arms of the Earth that he admired and befriended.
Ugo Bardi
___________________________________
Michael’s obituary prepared by Jordan Perry and Peter Melton.
Michael Dowd lived a life of love in action and he thrived in the thrill of being alive! On Saturday October 7, while in his sleep, he returned to the infinite joy that he had never left.
Michael died in New York where he went to be present for his father’s final hospice moments. His father died Thursday October 5th and Michael stayed after his death to continue to work through the process.
Michael was staying at a friend’s house, took a fall helping to clear dishes, opted not to go to the hospital despite feeling some effects of the fall. He went to bed, fell asleep, and did not survive the night. An autopsy and cremation will precede his final resting. These simple facts fail to capture the arc of the man, and his life.
I’m not one for tradition. Others may be. I don’t claim to understand what Michael would have wanted but I do believe he always sought to inspire everyone he met to live fully with gratitude as if it could be your last year, last season, last month, last day. One last hug. One more glance. One more joke. One last laugh.
One last opportunity to watch a bird fly overhead and alight on the withered branch of a dead tree leaning over a river. Life and death, guts and glory, all captured in a single breathtaking moment that leads by necessity to the next, equally breathtaking moment. A post-doom death in a pre-doom world asks us to rise to the moment with joy, love, gratitude, and grief. I accept the challenge and the gift. Thank you, Michael. From all those you have touched by your love.
I wish I could have hugged him, once. I’ve gotten his “cyberhugs” in many emails. They always felt real, and I’m not someone who feels things like that. Years spent reaching out of his persona from stages, pulpits, and computer screens honed his ministering to a fine point and he cyber and live hugged his way through all these mediums with ease. His electric, surround sound version of loving attention was wild and joyful to experience. His limitless curiosity and bombastic reverence for life never ceased to compel me to want to lean into my life with more authenticity. He could challenge, cajole, compel, and confuse with grace. I loved the man.
Michael has many close associates, friends, colleagues and co-conspirators. Whether you knew him or just knew of him, his work lives on through us. As we all grieve and allow the necessary stillness of the moment to saturate lets actively imagine the ongoing love-in-action living with gobsmacked joy that always lay at the core of Michael’s message. There is always work to do, service to offer, love to share. Saturday was a good day to die. Let’s make today a good day to live.
Please join us for an informal Celebration of Life on Thursday, Oct 12.
zoom link below.
Michael Dowd November 19, 1958 - October 7, 2023
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Dowd
Michael and his father Pete Dowd March 2005 - Breakneck Ridge, above the Hudson River
Michael’s work lives on at www.PostDoom.com
Join the Post-Doom No-Gloom call for an informal Celebration of Life on:
Thursday October 12, 2023 at 5pm PST / 8pm EST / 12am (Friday) UTC5.
For general information on the calls visit: https://postdoom.com/discussions/
To join the Celebration of Life call follow this link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88358865929...passcode: 479676
This announcement was lovingly prepared by Jordan Perry and Peter Melton with approval from Michael’s beloved wife and partner Connie Barlow.
US06WEB.ZOOM.US
Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting