A sad farewell, but also forgiveness

On a breezy day on the cusp of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a spiritual community bade farewell to a Nelson County father and daughter who died in terrorist attacks last month in Mumbai, India.

Yesterday's memorial capped a weekend of mourning and celebration at the Synchronicity Foundation nonprofit spiritual community.

The memorial service yesterday afternoon was in a hall with a small stage adorned with white lilies, red and white roses and poinsettias and carnations.

A basket filled with packs of tissue sat beside the front door of the sanctuary building, and a sign across the entrance read, "In memoriam, Alan and Naomi Scherr," with columns adorned with garlands and purple sashes.

On the stage were photos -- one of Naomi taken recently and one of Alan Scherr and his wife, Kia.

The father and daughter died Nov. 26 in a café at the Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai when gunmen thought to be Pakistani opened fire as part of a coordinated terrorist attack on the city that left more than 170 dead.

The Scherrs lived on the foundation's 400-plus acres. The foundation has installed an eternal flame on the grounds, lit from fire from Sunday morning's ritual.

Anger did not punctuate the weekend or the memorial. Kia Scherr extended forgiveness to the assailants in her first comments after her husband and daughter died, a theme that continues.

"In reality, everything is one, all is one, and we send love," said Bobbie Garvey, a Synchronicity vice president and managing director, of the attackers.

During the memorial service, Kia Scherr sat beneath Naomi's picture and often smiled softly.

Master Charles Cannon, Synchronicity's spiritual leader, wore a brown flowing robe and sat beneath the picture of Alan and Kia Scherr.

Naila Alam, CEO of the Herndon-based nonprofit Express Care humanitarian organization, quoting the Koran, expressed the sympathies of Muslim communities and characterized terrorists as "lost souls" who create a ripple effect worldwide, one that caring people must stand up to and oppose.

"We can certainly make sure we don't have to face loss again," said Alam, who also read a message of sympathy from the embassy of Pakistan in Washington.The message stated that the attacks were "condemned by Pakistanis worldwide."

The Scherrs' loved ones also spoke, sometimes fighting tears. Scherr was a devoted husband and father known as "simply Al," said his brother, Mark Scherr, who recalled that he was a brilliant scholar and teacher who always followed his own path, loved ham radios and was "sometimes even weird," to laughter.

Naomi had overcome childhood shyness and was "boiling over with enthusiasm."

"They went on this once-in-a-lifetime trip, and it became the trip of their lifetime," he said.

Cannon eulogized the father and daughter.

"There is only one," he said slowly and soothingly. "This is the experience of life that Alan and Naomi lived, it was their philosophy of life, our philosophy of life.

"And they lived it every day."

Scott Marshall is managing editor of the Nelson County Times.