Light Amidst the Darknesses

The poem copied into my recent blog post refers to darknesses;

anger  cruelty 
...a foretaste of other darknesses to come later 
which all of us must endure alone...

Cancer is an embodiment of cruelty. The physical and emotional effects of the disease itself, in combination with the often barbaric treatments involved in the quest for a cure or the maintenance of its stability, and even some methods of palliative therapy all carry a brutality that becomes etched in the minds of those of us who helplessly hold the hands of the ones we love.

Anger is a natural reaction to this heartbreak, and I admit to a drift at times toward that human tendency in an instinctive response to the death of my daughter.  I stayed with her, but I couldn't save her.  No one could.

In spite of my ability to still feel Erin's hand in mine, the darknesses have come. They present in the vivid memories of the pain she endured. They come in my deep longing for her presence on this earth in the here and now, and they enter into the dreams of a future life that will go unfulfilled.

I'll forever carry many levels of grief over Erin's death, but I work diligently to be more than a person defined within only those parameters. My world has gradually evolved into a place where experiences have fed a perspective toward things that previously went unnoticed.  I'm ashamed to say I must have been too busy.

Erin's cancer diagnosis was my portal to a deeper awareness of the unique, personal challenges of many individuals, and has resulted in an empathetic desire to make inroads in areas that are within my control.  This intention provides an avenue to channel my grief into a purposeful and, therefore, positive action rather than allowing it to spiral into bitterness.  It's a decision that is essentially an interpretation of the Serenity Prayer, and the conscious choice to live its message fosters my ability to focus on light amidst the ongoing threat of darknesses.

One means through which to live this intention is through my promotion of blood donations.  Because the results of giving blood benefit such a broad range of individuals ~ from cancer patients, to burn victims, to people with certain chronic illnesses, to the victims of catastrophic accidents... ~ the gift of life is an all-inclusive act of generosity.

May 14 will be Erin's 20th birthday and, once again, we're inviting you to celebrate the occasion with us by participating in our Second Memorial Blood Drive. The number of units collected at LAST YEAR'S EVENT made Erin's 19th Birthday Celebration one of LifeSource's most successful memorial drives.  Click back on that post.  We had a blast!

Please mark your calendars

and make the commitment 
to join us this year.

Erin's 20th Birthday Celebration
Sunday, May 15th

8:00am - 3:00pm

St. Cletus School

More information, including detailed sign-up instructions, will be posted next month
once everything is finalized with LifeSource.

Sincere thanks to all who continue to donate
on a regular basis in memory of Erin.
If you are a donor, please be aware that March 20th
is the last day you can give blood
and still be eligible to do so on May 15th
due to the mandatory 8 week period between donations.

Help us provide some light for those in need.
Just imagine how many will benefit from our united effort!

Don't you just love a BIG PARTY?  

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