I heard a famous designer on the Today show talking about how her mother , being a Holocaust survivor, would say to her all the time, " Fear is NOT an Option". She wouldn't allow daughter to be overcome by fear, no matter what she was facing. The designer said it has helped her in life more than any other lesson.
Yesterday I learned that my friend Deni's son has Leukemia. A MOTHERS WORST FEAR!
Deni was my best friend for a good many years in High School. She and I had other Best friends as well but that didn't affect our friendship. She was the one who taught me how to drive on her VW Bug :) We would lay out by the pool, Cruz to the lake, go to dances together and later when I needed it... she and her family welcomed me into their home and family ( something that changed my life and I am forever grateful!)
Most of you don't know her , some of you do, But I am ashamed to say that actually, I don't know her now either. Time and miles and work and family have taken over and aside from the few e-mails here and there and the yearly Christmas cards we rarely make time to connect. I've met her Husband a few times ( a really nice guy) I've only met her 3 beautiful kids once, I have a picture of her and my other friends from home sitting on my desk, I think of her a lot when I hear a song that brings back memories, but I know nothing about her day to day life (That makes me so sad). But when I heard about Sean I cried like I've know him his whole life.
They have a site that friends and family can go to keep updated and see pictures. Sean's sweet little face with his bald head surrounded by his Dad and his buddies who shaved THEIR heads in support, The pictures of Deni reading to him, they all show how how Deni and her husband are handling this hard time with, dignity, grace ,determination and love . For a mother, FEAR IS NOT AN OPTION. She is setting the tone for her family to face this one day at a time, to stick together, to trust that everything will be alright and along the way I am sure she is cherishing every moment and lesson they are experiencing that will ultimately bring them even closer.
Please pray for Sean, my friend, her husband and her whole family. Ask all your friends to pray for them. Many of us know first hand how prayer helps more than anything in life.
And as Deni said in her last e-mail... hug your family extra tight!
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