I am leaving in a few minutes to go see Amy in Rhode Island for her 44th birthday...how can this be? Yesterday we were 12 years old walking the hallways in "the Dungeon" of BHS, in love with Jamie Boyd (and Dave Lanzetti and Brett Kiersted and Joey Russo and Bill McCollough and David Caffery and a few others). Now we are grown adults with children the same age as we were when we met. On this day last year me, Mo and Coleen got in the car and drove to surprise her for her 43rd. We walked in the door , Amy fell to the floor and we did what good friends do when they are visiting the home of a friend on her birthday while her son is in chemotherapy treatments. You drink wine. It didn't matter that it was 3:00 on a Sunday. Time, days and social protocols don't factor in during such a winter. We laughed, we drank, we cried. We met up with Amy's friends and made fools of ourselves. I fell asleep on the couch listening the the voices and laughter of 3 of my life long friends. It was a powerful birthday fueled by love, anguish, fear, trust and vulnerability.
A year later I am driving up to Rhode Island again. Charlie continues to have clear brain scans. He turned 11 years old on Monday and I get to see him tear through the door after school today. I get to see Amy and have a 12-12-12 birthday party with her and all of her friends. I am leaving the ridiculous, fabricated "stresses" of Christmas in New Jersey. I will drive in gratitude for 4 hours to see my friend and her boys. And I will miss my girls and Eddie. The Heartworks Advisory Board will meet this morning to continue our work. Katie and More Than Me won a million dollars. Poppy visited Madison in her dream last night. A dear friend had a much needed walk to a lighthouse yesterday, and I knew about it. Thank you God for your light through the darkness life brings. As I am writing this blog, the two songs that have played "randomly" on my iPod are "Here Comes the Sun" and "After the Storm" My two theme songs of 2012. (Way before Hurricane) Thank you God for the sun after the storms. Thank you that I have such solid family and friends. Thank you for the chance to go to Rhode Island and laugh my ass off all day and night. It has been a long year, a long last few months, filled with love.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMER! You are one of my great loves XOXO
As I sign off, "All I Need" by Mat Kearny is playing...another good one. Powerful.
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