James Campbell
July 5, 1935 - November 24, 2007
Today, November 24, 2007, in the early morning, James Campbell completed his task at the age of 72. James joined the Fellowship in the Los Angeles center in 1987 and was a gentle presence for many years at Apollo. Recently of the London Center, James returned home to Apollo in his final days.
On behalf of all who knew you, James, we thank thee.
Epitaph:
The door is round and open
Where the two worlds meet
Don’t go back to sleep
The death of a friend reminds us of our own inevitable mortality,
and causes us to desire presence even more.
Robert Burton
James made a framed picture of the Meher Baba quote that says “Live more and more in the Present, which is ever beautiful and stretches away beyond the limits of the past and the future”. It was made in Italy when he and Iris were living there. It hangs above a threshold in our home. He introduced Rumi to me in 1989 with the poem, “The Breeze at Dawn” . This poem is where he derived his epitaph. I am grateful for my father and I am grateful for Iris. Especially for, the outpouring I experienced towards James from the community.
A memory from the years when James and Iris supported the Venice center in Italy, while living a distance away: James repainted the green shutters on the balcony (not waiting for the residents of the teaching house to do it); just quietly doing what needed to be done. We chatted a few moments; it was a non-event full of Presence