Saturday, August 4, 2012

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2008. We went to Roosevelt Island, with Mattie's remote controlled boat in hand. Peter and Mattie waded out into the Potomac River to sail the boat. What I find particularly ominous about this picture, was in the distance was Georgetown. This picture was taken a month before Mattie was diagnosed with cancer, and after his diagnosis, we practically lived at Georgetown University Hospital. To me, this picture is almost like a premonition of what was to come.



Quote of the day: In life, it is never the big battle, the big moment, the big speech, the big election. That does not change things. What changes things is every day, getting up and rendering small acts of service and love beyond that what's expected of you or required of you. ~ Cory Booker


My friend Charlie sent me today's quote and it absolutely resonated with me. In reality it is the small acts, the unexpected kindness, that truly changes things. But when I say things, I specifically mean how we feel about ourselves, the world, and at times our future. The one simple act of kindness has a way of impacting a day, which can impact a week, and so on. The impact can affect the giver as well as the receiver. I will give you an example. This week after visiting my doctor's office, I was walking down the hallway to get on the elevator. There were others around me, but amongst us was also a woman who was blind. I could see, from all the way down the hallway, that this woman was having trouble finding the elevator bank and was bumping into the walls. NO ONE helped her. I realize there maybe many explanations for this.

I remember when I was an educator, I always had a colleague of mine who is blind, come to talk with my students about working with clients who are visually impaired or blind. It was ALWAYS a very powerful lecture. What I learned from my friend Bob is not all people who are blind want help, and most certainly one should never lay a hand on a blind person to lead them somewhere without first asking. As I was watching this woman, I assessed that I couldn't just let her fumble in the hallway, so I went up to her and asked her if I could assist her. She was very eager to receive my help and then I asked her how she wanted me to direct her to the elevator. I gave her the control to decide whether she held onto me or I held onto her. I certainly did not start my day with the notion that I was going to have a "big moment." This moment and interchanged just happened and presented itself, but assisting this woman in many ways helped both of us.

This evening Peter and I went over to Ann's house to visit her cousins who are in town from Massachusetts. One of Ann's cousins, I am very fond of and we exchange emails daily. She recently lost her husband to a cancer battle, and though she is grieving a husband, and I a son, there are many aspects that overlap.

I would like to share a photo that Ann sent to me. Her friend is participating in the Pan Mass Challenge. The Pan Mass Challenge has been around for 33 years. During that time it has raised more than $338 million for the Dana Farber Jimmy Fund, an organization that helps battle cancer through research and treatment. In 2011, the PMC donated 100 percent of every rider-raised dollar directly to the cause. The PMC generates half of the Jimmy Fund's annual revenue and it is Dana Farber's single largest contributor. This is a picture of the t-shirt Ann's friend wore. I was surprised and honored to see Mattie's name on it.  Mattie was thought about and remembered in Boston this weekend!!!