BlueViews

I have been at RA for Nicky’s Week pretty much until close every night.  This morning I got up after about 3 hours sleep to haul around town running errands before driving to Tucson.  My sister recently graduated from U of A and needed help moving out of her apartment. 

We packed and stuffed my dad’s SUV to the brim… but she’ll have to make a return trip next weekend because all of it wouldn’t fit!  Have you seen that industrial size shoe horn lately?!  We could’ve used one.  Or a vacuum pack plastic wrap machine like they do at the airport for international flights.  With what we could get in there, we unloaded it all at my parents’ house.

Everybody cleaned up and hopped back in the car.  Starving, we beelined up to RA Kierland for dinner.  Lots of pork gyoza, tootsy maki, edamame and Red Bull later, we were stuffed and quickly succumbing into food coma.  We tried to stay for a little while longer.  The raffle drawing is at 10 PM.  Amy Sun and Nicky’s family were supposed to be arriving soon… but we didn’t hold out.  Not even the Red Bull could give us wings.

We’re already all at home in our jammies.  I’m done.  I remember a conversation once where a girl said to me, "I am the possibility of living life to the fullest, until I’m all used up."  This week has been very full.  I have been so pleased with the turn out.  Tonight I’m treating myself to an early finish and a good night’s rest.  Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…  Namaste 

There’s a saying that giving is a gift in itself to the giver.  The part of the gracious act that swells the heart and moves the soul feels so miraculously good that it’s better than any manufactured drug or self-serving vice. 

I am halfway through Nicky’s Week and in bliss.  Tonight at RA Kierland the table next to us started up a conversation as we were deciding which raffle ticket package to get to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  As "coincidence" would have it, they were Nicky’s family!  Last year when I helped promote the fundraiser for children’s cancer research, I had exchanged numerous emails with Nicky’s mom.  Every time we were supposed to be at the same location, our paths didn’t cross and I never met her in person.  It was so special to finally meet her, Nicky’s dad and little brother.  There is something extremely magical about shaking hands and putting a smile and voice with the names that I know so well.

I’m not sure if I can adequately express how one child’s light and passing can make such an opening in the world’s awareness.  Yesterday at RA Tempe we had a discussion about how stories of greatness are historically magnified after a person’s death…  Mozart, da Vinci, Jesus.  During life, they were "just people" who sometimes were ignored, persecuted, celebrated, misunderstood, loved, missed.  Nicky was a bright and sweet kid who kept a positive attitude despite the illness that overtook his physical body.  In honor of that beautiful spirit, hundreds and thousands of people nationwide will eat, drink, be merry, and share time with friends this week at RA Sushi to raise money for the hospital and other kids going through the same experience.  Would all of them have known that 12,500 kids are diagnosed with cancer every year and the incredible programs that St. Jude provides without Nicky’s Week?!

I am honored to be one piece of that One community.  At happy hour tonight I got a phone call with an update that a dear friend is finishing up his sixth round of chemo.  With prayers and hope, in another couple weeks if all goes as planned he may be given the blessed distinction of "in remission" as his diagnosis.  I almost cried.  This is the why…  why I would be ringleader at a different RA location every night this week to promote the event.  And how small it seems that all we have to do to help is go to lunch and/or dinner, order particular items on the menu, so that 100% of our tabs can be donated to the hospital. 

An insignificant cost… in comparison with how happy it makes me feel to be a part of it.  Namaste