Last year, right before the March for a Mattie Miracle, Mattie's art therapists, Jenny and Jessie, created a special cape for Mattie to wear at the March. It was a super hero cape, saying, "Super Mattie." The picture of Mattie they selected, features him wearing his circus glasses that we got for him on his first trip to the circus in March of 2009. This cape is priceless, and naturally along with all of Mattie's other things, I know exactly where it is in his room.
Poem of the day: When Friends Go To Heaven by Lisa Clark
They do not go alone
cause when friends go to heaven
part of us goes along.
When friends go to heaven,
our memories here remain
when friends go to heaven,
its our plan to meet again.
When friends go to heaven,
silently our hearts and souls do cry
for when friends go to heaven
there isn't an answer to why.
They never really leave us
they are in are hearts to stay
when our friends go to heaven,
they never really go away.
Today was a very busy day. I met with Christine (Campbell's mom) this morning to discuss Walk registration as well as signage for the Walk. We are working off of my crude map that I put together of the event, and we literally walked through every section of the map, to write down what still needed to be done. Christine and I think in a similar fashion, so over tea and this wonderful bread that she made me, we dialogued, took notes, and came up with a strategy of what needs to be done over the weekend. I found the meeting very helpful, and I am finding working with all my friends toward planning a successful Walk can be very stimulating. It is stimulating and exhausting all at the same time. I do notice that while jumping from one thing to another this week, it is hard for me to feel anything.
After I said good-bye to Christine, I met up with Ann and I gave her an update about registration and signs, and we discussed other Walk related matters. I then went to purchase some items for the Walk, and then commuted back to the city. At that point, I jumped on the Metro to meet another SSSAS mom, who is now becoming my friend. Lauren has been very gracious with Peter and I and has offered her professional input and advice to us on marketing and how to deliver an effective Foundation message and image. Despite working a full day, she carved out 90 minutes for us to chat and brainstorm. Lauren and I share a very important commonality. We both feel it is important to communicate on a personal level, to share aspects about ourselves with one another, and through that, we have a better understanding of each other, but also a better working relationship. I enjoyed my time with her today, and as always came alway with many ideas to explore and pursue. Each time I see Lauren she encourages me to write a book. Today she asked me... how is the book coming? I laughed but then realized Lauren was seriously, and a part of me now feels more emotionally ready to take on this project. Mattie's story and our story has to be told.
I would like to share a story my mom sent to me last night. It is priceless and deserves to be told. I am glad she captured this for me, and also sent me the pictures illustrating the story. I am not sure why I can't recall seeing these pictures, but I am happy to have them in my electronic files now.
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Mattie The Policeman with Grammie and PopPop on Roosevelt Islandby Virginia R. Sardi
On one of our many outings with Mattie on Roosevelt Island, while Vicki was occupied at home preparing for a teaching assignment, we encountered a very charming Washington, DC policeman in his police car patrolling the Theodore Roosevelt promenade where Teddy’s statue looks down benevolently on all who come to visit and ponder his profound words of wisdom on the surrounding marble tablets. The policeman noticed Mattie running around with us taking in all the sights as Mattie was inclined to do when he was animated and revved up for action. The policeman was taken with Mattie and his energetic romp through the park and stopped us, and invited Mattie to wear his hat, and check out his car. He even turned on the flashing red light on top of his car to get Mattie’s attention which immediately brought a reaction as Mattie fascinated, was transfixed as if by magic. Of course, Mattie could not resist even though he was somewhat intimidated by the authority represented by the policeman’s uniform and his police car. As a toddler, his shyness is captured in the photos but his determination to investigate, given the golden opportunity that has by chance fallen into his lap, is captured in one of the photos where you see him in the arms of the policeman while you will notice that his head is turned in the direction of the flashing red light and although I can only speculate about what was on his mind at that moment, I think he was probably trying to figure out how that flashing light actually worked and wondered if he could take it home and check it out. That picture captures Mattie in the moment and from my perspective it is a precious remembrance of how his beautiful mind could absorb like a sponge whatever he saw and use his highly evolved capacity to multitask and make the most of this unexpected adventure in a way that was as natural to him as breathing. I do hope these pictures capture the playful spirit of Mattie and touch your heart as his smile and demeanor did the policeman who spotted him in the park and gave him the thrill of a lifetime by making him a policeman for a few precious minutes on that memorable day!
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I would like to end tonight's posting with a message from my friend, Charlie. Charlie wrote, "Since so much of yesterday's blog was about friendship I found this poem. We recognize the effects of a death on a family but often fail to recognize the effect of a death, on friends especially when those friends are children. We (adults) often act as though we believe children don't understand or suffer or miss the person and that they will forget if no one talks about them for a while. The blog shows this simply isn't true and that children naturally both grieve and include the missing person in their lives if allowed to do so. I really think that their way is so much better and more honest and perhaps we adults should take a lesson from Mattie's buddies. As Nancy so nicely said in her response to you, humor should not be forgotten when grieving, especially if the person you are grieving for had a good sense of humor. That was so very true of Mattie; he certainly had his own brand of humor and he appreciated a good joke. That's the lovely thing about children, they can be sad one moment and find something humorous the next and there is no inconsistency or guilt in them for feeling that way. That is how it should be and we adults should do our best to use them as role models in this. As I practice today and work on my balance, I will send you the energy to find the balance of sadness and laughter that is present in everyone's life. Right now, you are tipped too far into sadness so I hope you can work on adding more laughter. I hold you gently in my thoughts."
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