Heartifacts

When a crisis hits, and friends and family rally around, it is fascinating to see what the need has inspired in them. You may learn a lot about the person at the center of the storm by the forms the subsequent support takes.

When I heard Sheri faced this challenge, all I could think of was wanting to make her laugh.  Sheri not only has one of the best laughs in the world, but she constantly makes those around her fall out  -- in the good kind of hysterics that is like a welcome waterfall of happy.  So I got her a couple of the Awkward Family Photos books.  And then, for good measure, I gave her a copy of my own best awkward family photo:  a three-year old me holding my baby brother on our 1973 Christmas card, scrubbed up and fancy and perky and accidentally flipping the bird at the world.  (A sign of things to come, perhaps?)

An awesome token of affection came from Sheri's Aunt Marg, who is also her godmother. She made Sheri a scrapbook and wrote the following poem for her:

Don't you totally get this?  Sheri's tenacious and strong personality has long been appreciated by her friends and family. Now we know she is pulling from those reserves, and if you are like me, you may find yourself focused on those powerful pillars of her being.  

As humans the external (and sometimes difficult) facts of our lives inform (but don't have to overwhelm) the art of who we are on a deeper level.  Wouldn't you agree that both the funny and the fight in Sheri, so apparent post-diagnosis, is all heart?  Hasn't it always been?

I am glad to share that Sheri was feeling pretty good after chemo on Tuesday.  We are moving right along down the chemo calendar; I will keep you posted.

~Bess