Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2008. Mattie was in the PICU recovering from his limb salvaging surgery. I recall this day like it were yesterday. It was a Friday, and the Georgetown University Chemistry Club came to do an experiment with the children in the units. The experiment that day involved taking a fresh cut rose, dipping into a dry ice solution, and then seeing what would happen to the rose if it were then dropped on the floor. What happened was fascinating, because after the rose came out of the dry ice solution, it was frozen solid, and when dropped on the floor, it broke like a piece of glass. Each child that day was given a rose, and had the opportunity to dip it into the solution. Mattie refused to do this to his rose. He instead preferred to hold it and smell it, though he was thoroughly entertained watching roses break all over the floor. Mattie's preschool teacher, and our friend, Margaret was visiting us that day. Margaret snapped this charming picture, and in my opinion captured two beauties at one time.... the rose and Mattie.
Quote of the day: All the darkness in the world can not extinguish the light of a single candle. ~ Maria Gautier
Peter returned safely to Washington, DC and I am happy to report that Patches, our cat, is home and enjoying her one on one time with Peter. While we were in the Grand Canyon we received a call from Patches' vet. The vet was very concerned about her because she was refusing to eat and drink, and was becoming dehydrated. Needless to say, while we were gone, Patches spent several days in the kitty ICU unit! However, like I suspected, Patches issues were mental (at least this time!), and not a sign of her physical decline (since she has been diagnosed already with kidney failure). The vet and I argue about Patches food intake all the time. The vet wants Patches on a prescription diet that will be easier on her kidneys. I logically agree with the vet, but Patches dislikes this food! In my book it is better that she eats something than nothing at all! I have tried to tell the vet this, but she thought she could get Patches to eat this stuff while we were away. Well Patches showed her, and the conclusion is I basically know MY cat!
This afternoon, my parents and I went to see a Neil Simon play entitled, God's Favorite. God's Favorite is a modern day tale loosely based on the Book of Job (from the Bible). Joe Benjamin is a wealthy and respected businessman living with his family in suburban Long Island. God and Satan make a bet and God puts his trust in Joe to keep his faith. One night a messenger from God, Sidney Lipton (with a big G on his sweatshirt) arrives, and, as in the biblical story, goes through all manners of temptation to get Joe Benjamin to renounce God. When he refuses, he is visited by all the afflictions imaginable (physical illness, his house burns, his wife wants to leave him, and his eldest son becomes blind). Joe stands firm and the messenger has to admit defeat.
Neil Simon is quoted in the playbill by saying, "If you can go through life without experiencing pain you probably haven't been born yet." That quote caught my attention, because I share his sentiments wholeheartedly. In fact, if you dig deep into the lives of most people, you will find that they have lived through some sort of hardship, experience, or issue. There is more to most of us than what others see on the surface. We all have a story to tell, which is what makes human connections so meaningful and rich. I find it fascinating that this play was written in 1973 during a rough time in Simon's personal life, after the death of his wife. In fact, after experiencing and surviving the death of a loved one, it is not unusual to question one's belief in God. God's Favorite is a play that forces one to examine one's belief system. Do you love God only when things are working out for you and going your way? What happens when you are put through one of life's tests, if bad things happen to you, do you still love God? In essence the story is asking how deep is your faith? Is your faith conditional? All great spiritual questions, that are hard to grapple with after facing the death of someone close to you. These are questions I ask myself often.... why me? Why were Peter and I tested in this way? Can God be merciful if he allows children to develop life threatening diseases and suffer through cancer treatment? I would love to believe that we experienced this horrific event for a purpose, but some days, I do not get life's purpose or plan at ALL! As Simon says in the play, God gives us things, and God can take them away. Don't I know that the hard way!?
It has been raining in Los Angeles for two days. In addition to rain, everything was covered in a dense fog today. We are so happy that we did not experience this lovely weather while in the Grand Canyon or Sedona. I still am remembering those beautiful Red Rocks quite fondly!
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