Shooting stars

 The first few weeks after Maggie passed away were absolutely crazy. There was the service to plan and attend, visitors by the dozens, cards arriving every day, phone calls etc. I've written many thank you notes and have many more to go. Please know I appreciate whatever you did for us, and eventually I will formally acknowledge that. I find the energy for those only sporadically. The hubbub has tapered off at this point.

Now, it's quiet. Very quiet. 

We still receive cards in the mail, and I have to say I treasure every single one. They are all sitting in a basket in my dining room that is overflowing with cards and love.

 As I drove up the other day I noticed a manila envelope on the front porch. I opened it to find a bound copy of the screenplay to the movie "Jack"  autographed by Robin Williams, who starred in the movie back in 1996.  The screenplay was a gift from my friend Joanne. Though it was very cool, I was initially puzzled by it. "Jack" is the story of a boy with a rare condition that causes his body to age four times faster than it should. He is physically an old man by the time he graduates from high school. Her card indicted that she had marked a couple of passages in the book that made her think of Maggie. When I read them I had to agree and I want to share those with you now. The passages are lovely, but so much cooler in the screenplay format that I am including that as well.


                                            Woodruff (Jack's teacher)
... Did you ever see  shooting star Jack? Oh, it's wonderful. It passes quickly, but when it's here it lights up the whole sky. Most beautiful thing you'd ever see... It's such a beautiful sight that the other stars actually stop and watch it. So spectacular that people wish upon shooting stars. And they're very rare, quite rare. You almost never see them. But I did. I saw one...

His eyes hold on Jack.  Jack's eyes gaze off.

                                                     Jack
        I just want to be a regular star.

                                                 Woodruff
        Jack, you're not regular at all, you're spectacular

Then later in the play Jack, who is physically a 72 yer old man, is giving the valedictory address at his high school graduation.

                                                      Jack
As these final days wear down, we think of times forgotten and we pray for new beginnings. And some of us worry about our future. What am I going to do? Where am I going to be in 10 years?  But I say, let us not worry...

Woodruff stands, proud of his student

                                                      Jack
...Because in the end, none of us have very long on this earth. Life is fleeting. And if you're ever distressed, cast your eyes to the summer sky, when the stars are strung across the velvety night, when a shooting star streaks across the blackness turning night into day, make a wish and think of me.  Make your lives spectacular.
                      (a beat)
I know I did.

Thank you Joanne. This meant more to me than you can know.

up up and away

Caring for Maggie requires a concerted effort by a number of different individuals working separately and together.  Everybody has his or her role and when everybody is in sync, amazing things can happen.  I was thinking that and working on an idea for a post when I came across this picture that illustrates it perfectly. 

That's Jonathan Trappe, an adventurer from North Carolina crossing the English Channel in a seat attached to a cluster of helium  balloons.  Every balloon had to do its job for this to work. He also needed patience  to wait for the right weather conditions, safety precautions if something went wrong, and most of all, an adventurous spirit willing to break a few rules.  It's also wise to avoid items with sharp edges 

If a picture is worth 1000 words, you can thank Mr. Trappe for saving you from having to read those words. Well, at least today you didn't have to.  Things are still rattling around in my brain. 

Friends

There was a commercial many years ago that keeps popping into my head. I don’t remember what they were selling, but I remember the jingle: “good friends are forever, good friends are for keeps.” That is about a true a statement as has ever been written.

When the chips are down, hopefully you have SOMEONE in your life who will stand by you. I have many such people who have proven themselves over and over, through all the trials and tribulations we have been through with Maggie. They brought dinner, or watched the boys, or walked the dog or did whatever was necessary so we could focus on the crises du jour for Maggie. You know who you are (and you BETTER be reading this!) I thank you all.

I try to imagine what life would be like without that support and it is impossible for me. I am lucky. I know its there. Others are not as lucky. Either they don’t have support at all, or they have it and don’t know or believe that it’s there. Either way they feel alone in both their brightest and darkest times.

We have a friend in the darkest of dark times now. We wish him well and hope against hope that he knows and believes we and all his other supporters are still out here. Because of the circumstances, we can’t do anything but love him. But we do.