Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Tonight's picture was taken in November of 2004. Mattie was two and half years old and that day Peter's mom sent us a gift for Patches, our calico cat. However, guess who found the gift intriguing? Mattie of course! Eventually Patches did get the gift and Mattie even played with Patches using this gadget. As you squeezed the hand pump a fake mouse would pop out. It was a gift that provided enjoyment for two!

Quote of the day: Loss is like a wind, it either carries you to a new destination or it traps you in an ocean of stagnation. You must quickly learn how to navigate the sail, for stagnation is death. ~ Val Uchendu

Thirteen years ago today, Mattie Miracle became incorporated in the state of Virginia and became an official non-profit. So on this day, we celebrate Mattie Miracle's birthday! Happy 13th! It is amazing how far we have gotten and what we have accomplished over the years on a limited budget. As I always say, money doesn't solve problems, issues, or address needs. Committed people do! It is thanks to the incredible commitment of our supporters, we are able to make the Mattie Miracles possible. 

I was listening to the radio the other day, while getting dressed. Ironically even listening to the radio is something I took for granted when I wasn't a caregiver. Now I have little time for much. The radio host was talking about how people are attracted to certain songs. Have you ever wondered why a piece of music is your favorite? Have you ever given it any thought? Sure you may like the melody, you make like the lyrics, or you may even like who is singing the song. But research seems to indicate that we are attracted to certain songs because they evoke memories or capture a moment in time. When I heard this, I immediately said... of course, that makes sense. In fact, your favorite song may change depending upon what you are experiencing in that moment in time. 

When Mattie was in the hospital and we were dealing with another challenging day of treatment, a friend of mine sent me a song by Emerson Drive called Moments. I included the video of the song below. At the time, this was the perfect song for me and whenever I hear it, it reminds me of Mattie's cancer journey and though I felt helpless and stressed out, I knew I wasn't alone. We had a whole team of supporters out there rooting for us. Honestly if I wasn't going through this journey with Mattie, I am not quite sure I would get the true impact of this song. I can't tell you how many times I listened to that song that year and there after, and I turned to it during many overwhelming times. Therefore, I believe that the brain definitely encodes music as a component of our multifaceted memory of a moment or experience.

Why is that your favorite song?:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-neurobiology-wellness/201901/why-is-your-favorite-song

Mr. Pumpkin has come down from our front yard now that Halloween is behind us, and today Peter put out Mr. Turkey! I saw neighbors walking by the house today and they were pointing and smiling. As the weather gets colder and grayer, I think anything that can bring a smile to someone's face is a good thing.