Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2008. Mattie loved being outside on our deck and playing either in his sand box or getting soaked with our hose. Mattie would always tell me he wanted to go outside and water our plants, but the reality was he just loved getting wet. Which was why on this particular occasion he put on his rain coat. In the summer of 2008, before Mattie was diagnosed with cancer, he insisted on making me a special birthday gift. He and Peter worked on these gifts for weeks! These gifts were handcrafted fountains. I had no idea these fountains would be the last birthday gift I received from Mattie. Needless to say these fountains are special to us and they are one of the many Mattie features on our deck!
Quote of the day: Tragedy is like strong acid - it dissolves away all but the very gold of truth. ~ David Herbert Lawrence
I read this quote over and over again today. I suppose it could be up for interpretation but to me what Lawrence is telling us is that through tragedy we see the reality of perhaps our world and the people within it. A reality that we may not have noticed or experienced without the tragedy. A rather sad commentary nonetheless that we would need such devastation in order to see the truth.
The explosions in Boston may have occurred last week, but to me they seem very fresh on my mind. I can picture what limbs flying off looked like and I can also picture the recovery and the psychological ramifications now faced by these victims. Mattie may not have had his limbs blown off, but from my perspective limb salvaging surgeries were gruesome and relearning to walk (which Mattie never did) was no easy process.
Just like in Boston, where we witnessed incredible strength among the city's citizens, heroic acts performed by everyday people and law enforcement, and of course a city united so that ultimately good would conquer evil! I saw a similar
nugget of "gold" uncovered within my own family's tragedy. When Mattie was diagnosed with cancer, an incredibly devoted support team formed. This team wasn't composed of one or two people, but MANY! From all of our communities (work, schools, and neighborhood). As we dealt with Mattie's care, this team dealt with everything else such as our food, errands, and all sorts of gifts. Multiple acts of kindness, compassion, generosity, and beauty unfolded. Things I would say I have never personally experienced and witnessed within my own life. Now three years later, the gifts on behalf of Mattie still keep coming in.
This afternoon, I spent some time sorting through what has been collected so far (toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, lip balm, soap, razors, shaving cream, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, nail files, and keurig cups for coffee and tea). As you can see Mattie's bed is filled with supplies for in-patient families caring for a child with a life threatening illness. This is our first year doing such a drive, but these items are SO needed because when your child is hospitalized it is hard to remember to pack all the things you need to survive. Your mind is just not on supplies! All of these items were donated to the Foundation in honor of Mattie's 11th birthday. I think that says something about the power of Mattie. He is no longer with us, but his memory inspires others to give, to remember, and to help other children and their families battling childhood cancer. I would say that I had a very special son. Though this is not the "gold of truth" revealed by this tragedy. That fact I already knew.
No comments:
Post a Comment