Good Morning: Trevor Tredaway is back at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a blood and platelet transfusion. Christmas is fast approaching. If anyone who reads this post would at least stop and consider visiting Trevor's Caringbridge website and leaving his family a message, I would be very grateful.
January 4th is right around the corner. I believe that is the day I first left a comment on Trevor's Caringbridge website in 2008. Four years. Wow! It may as well have been yesterday, as far as I'm concerned. It certainly feels like that to me! I can't imagine being two and a half years old and receiving a brain tumor cancer diagnosis. Can you? Trevor is now 6. If you read nothing further about Trevor, this fact should reveal something to you. Trevor is one Determined little boy who wants to live. I know what it's like to be this Determined myself.
My parents almost lost me twice--two years back to back--and both involving 10 days in ICU (the Intensive Care Unit). I was just four years older than Trevor is today. A children's hospital saved my life both times. That miracle allows me to be here with you today, and to be blogging on my computer keyboard about different topics (and boy, they are different, I should know!), sharing some humor now and then, and even raising a little hell as I have recently.
A dear friend of mine in Missouri once wrote: "A sick child is a sick child no matter where they live". This statement is so powerful!
Trevor lives in Midland, Texas. You may live far away or nearby. You may be single like me, or a parent who can't imagine what you could say to Trevor's family on a website comment page. I guess that I have to stop and remember that what might come easy for me may be rough stuff for others to contemplate--and maybe even avoid when it comes to reading about a sweet kid battling cancer. It can be scary stuff thinking about an innocent child who is seriously ill. If you feel this way, consider these next two words: JUST LOVE!
I once dated a woman who said to me, "You know, I really don't get what you mean when you say 'just love'. I don't get that". I don't mean to sound cruel, but this rather limited understanding of life figured prominently in that person not making it to my future! And no, I won't bring up that Garth Brooks song. But my point is simple. All you have to do is love, to care and to put things "on hold" for five minutes. Now, I happen to know you have five minutes.
We live in a "busy world", filled with "busy people" walking around with cell phones glued to their ears and relentlessly chatting away in public places.
I've concluded these people are either legitimately "busy", or doing a very bad impression of Donald Trump!
At the end of the day, you don't have to live in a big house, drive an expensive car, have a lot of money in the bank or run with the "in" crowd to leave a message for a sick child. You just do it. You JUST LOVE. I'll close now with a little news about Melinda Tredaway's performance in the recent St. Jude Marathon Run. For the details, you'll have to go over to Trevor's website.
I have no idea how many of you reading this blog post are mothers? For months, many of us have been anticipating Melinda Tredaway's marathon run benefiting St. Jude Hospital. She trained long and hard for that grueling 26.3 mile race and made a commitment to run in honor of her son, Trevor. By God she did it and pounded the pavement farther than I ever did when I was a distance runner! Friends of mine who are triathletes tell me about the pain and the agony of enduring such a brutal running event. But Melinda's word is her bond and she raised $4,000 for St. Jude! If that isn't positive, if that isn't awesome, if that doesn't inspire you, I don't know what will!
People are struggling in a very bad recession. I know this all too well. Christmas may be very lean this year for you. But I'd like to suggest that the best way to give yourself a Christmas blessing is to drop by Trevor's web page. You'll see a number of comments (including mine). Slow down for five short minutes and give yourself a break from life's "busy-ness" by clicking HERE. That's all I have for now...
Thanks!
Michael
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