Tonight's picture was taken in May of 2007. Mattie was five years old and I entitle this photo.... "my laundry helper." Why was Mattie in a cart? Because believe it or not, we do not have a washer and dryer in our unit. Instead, we have to go down two floors and traverse a long hallway, until we get to the machines. When Mattie was a baby, it was a royal juggling act carrying him and all the laundry. But as he got older, I made it a fun adventure to the laundry room. It either involved a ride on vehicle, a bicycle, or being in the cart itself. Super Mattie to the rescue. I recall after Mattie died, going down to the laundry room alone, my laundry companion wasn't with me, and it took me years to get used to that change.
Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins.
- Number of people diagnosed with the virus: 33,239,509
- Number of people who died from the virus: 593,938
I have been working 12+ hour days for weeks now. I can safely say I am exhausted. But today was over the top! Balancing conference calls, taking Sunny on his two hour afternoon walk, doing chores, finishing the Walk video, writing the Foundation June newsletter, and also packing. It was an absolute whirlwind of a day.
However, the highlight of my day was bumping into a woman who works in our complex, who we have known for years. She found out we are buying a house and she is very happy for us, as she became a recent homeowner herself and told me how wonderful it can be. In the midst of our conversation she said, "your neighbors are going to love you." To be honest, I wasn't expecting this comment, so instead of responding, I let her explain why she felt this way. To make a long story short, it is very touching to be considered an asset to one's community and to know that our presence has made a difference here. Keep in mind our complex has over 800 units. So we are talking about a lot of people. But there are a pocket of long time residents here and management has gotten to know us well.
Though I live in the city, have graffiti, homelessness, and encampments all around me, I feel very safe in our complex. This has a lot to do, not with the residents, but the people who run and manage our complex. They look out for us and for Mattie Miracle. So it is hard to leave this behind. In any case, these unexpected moments, when we connect with people and have a meaningful connection and conversation, is what makes day to day living worthwhile. As it is one thing for me to miss our community, and quite another to know we too shall be missed.
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