Sunday, February 8, 2009

Dear Family and Friends of Margie,
Gayle asked me to launch this website for all of us whose lives have been touched by Margie, to share our memories and thoughts of her, saying "Margie would love to know that even after her death, she continues to be the catalyst to bring together this large community of people that she knew and loved. Perhaps the website will grow with dialogues about the subjects that were Margie's passion, and in that way Margie's legacy will continue to live on. She would just love that!"

So once again, I have the honor of sitting in the publisher's spot for Margie, as I did for Baltimore Resources Journal which proudly featured a column by her, called "Astrologically Speaking by Margie Herskovitz," for over 18 years. This tremendous body of work is just one of a great many contributions Margie made in her lifetime. She always provided her insightful column on time, spellchecked and grammatically perfect, of course--such a Virgo!

So, we invite all to share your stories, your passion, your feelings here, as we remember Margie.
Bonnie Raindrop

P.S. Strangely, this posts as if coming from "Margie Herskovitz", and in fact I truly believe she is orchestrating her final "conference" of the astrology community, which she poured so much of herself into. And it is likely her hand over mine, as I unwittingly set something up in the software that lets us know that she is near, ever-present as guiding angel to all of us.

13 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. Margie was the sunshine that kept the NCGR going in so many ways. She gave us such a wonderful model of kindness and leadership. Bless her.

    Gayle, please accept my deepest sympathy.

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  3. Celebrating Margie! May your journey to the Light be one of pure enjoyment! You sure made us smile here on earth. I was so very glad to have known you. Peace, Light and Love

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  4. Margie was a real gem. We were very close friends. I spoke with her the week before she died and had no clue this was coming. She'd been looking frail and apparently had a cancer that had returned.

    She had a stroke in 2006 and moved to Las Vegas to live with her youngest daughter, Michel.
    She improved greatly out there in the warm clime and with Michel's fine care (she's certified acupuncturist and has degree in Chinese medicine).

    Margie kept astrology going in Baltimore for several years when a lull arose. I don't recall why but several important folks moved or retired maybe.

    She served all the astro groups in various capacities and was NCGR's membership
    secretary for many yrs. She and Nancy Hastings were the ones who "motivated" me into being treasurer too.

    If you had a problem with an astro program, Margie was a great help. She was a wiz but being Virgo, too shy to admit it. She also was a fount of astro knowledge. You could ask her about the most obscure things you'd "discovered" and she'd have some helpful information. Amazing. She also has an impressive library after more than a 40 year love affair with astrology.

    Over the years I've seen her be very kind to folks in need. She'd orchestrate a cadre of "assistants" who often included her daughters, to help the folks get back on their feet or into a facility if needed. She was generous with her knowledge and I never heard her say a harsh word about anyone, even when
    some would try to draw her into a confrontation. She guarded the groups she
    worked with which always brings such interactions out. I felt she viewed the disagreements as temporary and didn't see the others in a negative light. Her Venus/Libra ways, no doubt.

    Mentioning Venus, Margie was a real stunner when a young married gal. She always was pretty and enhanced with her rosy spirit ... and her earthy sense of humor didn't but add to her charm too. She'd forward the best jokes about to her friends. I'd have to edit some before sending. lol

    Indeed, we've lost one of our dearest stars.

    Brad Clark

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  5. At first I only knew her name...Margie Herskovitz, Membership Secretary, NCGR. Then, one day she moved to Las Vegas where we met and became good friends, and Las Vegas has never been the same since.

    Margie was the starlight that brought Las Vegas Astrologers back together. As in Brad Clark's comment about Baltimore, Las Vegas also had lulled. Through Margie's orchestrating, we were able to bring it back and today we have a nice group of talented and professional astrologers and students brought together enjoying the camaraderie of like-mindedness.

    Margie was my friend, and I am so blessed to have known her. She treated me as an equal, though I looked up to her with great respect and admiration. She was conversant in every aspect of astrology and expert in most. She's been there and done that.

    It is impossible to fill this great lady's shoes. I should know, as she had me running under her direction. (grin) I learned a great deal from Margie and grew tall as an Astrologer because of her. She always made me smile and I will treasure our time together always.

    My deepest sympathy to Gayle and Michel.

    Much love,
    Gayle Parker

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  6. Thirty five years or so ago, when I first started studying astrology, my mom told me that her best friend from childhood was a prominent astrologer near Washington D.C. I got in touch witn Margie. She eventually invited me to stay with her in Baltimore and speak about my work {reading hands) with the Baltimore Chapter of the NCGR.

    We have kept in touch ever since. I will miss Margie's funny e-mails and continue to cherish her passion for the unseen/unknown. I lost my mom recently (1/12/09) and imagine her and Margie enjoying each other once again . . .

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  7. This was sad news. Margie could always be counted upon to do what needed to be done - and to do it with a twinkle, and just enough humor to make something drab something memorable.

    Margie passed on several really good ideas to me - not by beating me over the head (much as she must have been tempted from time to time!) but by hinting. It worked!

    It was so good to see her at UAC, and to see her win the Regulus.

    Now, it is with gratitude that we see the request regarding Kepler College. Margie continues to be a gift to the astrological community.

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  8. From Lynn Staudacher in Chicago:
    So saddened by the news of Margie’s death! I met her for the first time at UAC 08 in the Faculty dining room suite in the 22nd floor(?) of the hotel in Denver.

    She was in a wheel chair, sitting with a few friends and her daughter Gayle. I sat down and introduced myself and as always exchanged birth info with each other.
    I remarked “Oh, you’re going into your Uranus Return! I want to be as full of life as YOU are when I have mine!” We all laughed and at some point exchanged email addresses. After many nights of free appetizers up there, I was clearly in the Margie FanClub. And when she won the Regulus Award, I was clapping loudly for her.

    When I read the post in the NCGR News over the weekend, I looked up what her last email was to me—just 4 days before her death. I’ve copied and pasted it here as a message for all to see:

    Health:

    1. Drink plenty of water.
    2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
    3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
    4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
    5. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer.
    6. Play more games.
    7. Read more books than you did in 2008.
    8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
    9. Sleep for 8 hours.
    10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.

    Personality:

    11. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
    12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
    13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
    14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
    15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
    16. Dream more while you are awake.
    17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
    18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
    19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
    20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
    21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
    22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
    23. Smile and laugh more.
    24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

    Society:

    25. Call your family often.
    26. Each day give something good to others.
    27. Forgive everyone for everything.
    28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
    29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
    30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
    31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

    Life:

    32. Do the right thing!
    33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
    34. GOD heals everything.
    35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
    36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
    37. The best is yet to come.
    38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
    39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

    Last but not the least:

    40. Please forward this to everyone you care about

    Gayle and family, please accept my condolences on the loss of your Mother, sister and friend.

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  9. Dear Gayle and Michele....
    I imagine that you know how sad I am to lose Margie....She was more than a friend....she was part of my extended family..the ones I could choose because they were special and I loved them.
    Margie was an incredible human being. She was kind and generous and fun loving and truly beautiful both inside and out.
    I will miss her dearly....I loved her very much.
    You were so lucky to have had such a kind and special woman for your mother....
    With love...
    Bryna

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  10. I am very sad to hear this news. I have so enjoyed spending time with Margie over the years and I will miss her. I have a fond memory of an evening spent at Kitty's a couple of years ago with Margie and several other astrologers just hanging out talking shop. Margie has been such a bright star in our community.
    Amanda

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  11. MARGIE, BUTTER & MARGARINE

    Margie passed away a month ago today and my computer screen is in mourning. She used to send me so many jokes on a daily basis that, at times, I just wanted her to stop for a few days so I could take a breath. I would tell her so but she never listened to me and she kept sending sending and sending. She also accepted to change her server to accommodate mine which was being rejected by her former one. This was typical of Margie, always willing to make things easier for everyone.

    I will always remember her incredible vitality, her smile, her laughter. She was always in for a good time and she communicated her joie de vivre to everyone who had the chance to know her. She was a terrific lady, she never complained, she always gave her time and friendship and warm feelings to all. She always showed interest in everyone's lives and she kept in touch. She wanted to know details, whether they were good or bad, and she always gave sound advice to make things better or she would rejoice if things were positive with her friends. She had such a presence in my life, mostly through the computer since too many miles and an ocean were between us (I live in Paris, France). I knew she was there and I could write to her when I felt like it. She was always up when we were down. She always had a good word to pull us through difficult times.

    She was also a good mother to Gayle and Michel. Gayle couldn't spend a single day without one or more calls to Margie. They were very much in synch and held on to each other through astrology, through sharing, through laughter. I haven't seen Michel since she a was a teenager, so I can't talk about her relationship with Margie.

    The roundness of Margie's body was generous and this is the way I want to remember her. I didn't get to see her anymore after she moved to Las Vegas following her stroke, so I never saw her in a super-thin body, except on the photographs she would send me from time to time. That second body she acquired didn't seem to belong to her. I felt really sad to see her so drained in spite of her eternal smile.

    My computer is now crying for her and it is hard for me not to think of her when I turn it on in the morning and I don't see her name appear on my screen with jokes and attachments. I kept one of her last e-mails in my e-box. It's called "Pass the butter" and it tells the difference between butter (a yes-yes) and margarine (a no-no). I'm going to keep it in there so a little bit of Margie stays with me forever... as long as I live.

    margieherskovitz@gmail.com is now somewhere in cyberspace, I don't know where exactly. But Margie lives on with the happy image she left in my heart.

    Patricia (GRADIS) GALLAGHER
    (a college friend of Gayle's)

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  12. From Shirley Soffer, I didn't know Margie very well, but she always made a strong impression on me each time we'd meet. She lectured on the major arcana of tarot, and I still cherish my notes. She always had a kind word, a smile, just something magnetic about her -- like a warm fireplace that you were drawn to. A good lady and I will miss her presence in the astrology community.

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  13. I loved our chats and swimming in a pool. I still fondly think of Margie ans what she may be doing right now.
    Richard Smoot

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