Yesterday I went to Princeton's annual Communiversity event, which is basically a large street fair lining the main street of Princeton, NJ, right in front of the University. The whole community tends to come out for this event, and there is music, shows, games, chalk art, vendors, and tons of food. It's a lot of fun, and the weather was so gorgeous that it made it all the better. The streets were packed, but it felt like a big camaraderie, and my mom and I had a good time walking around and sampling just about everything.
At one point, we came across a booth promoting a church, and they had a large bulletin board holding up a huge white sheet of paper. The words "I BELIEVE" were written in large print up on the top of the page, and a woman stood in front of the board holding out Sharpie markers to passersby. Scribbled on the rest of the page were comments to finish the sentence..."God is the Father Almighty", "kindness is the mortar", "Harry Potter is real!", "mermaids are people too!" The woman complimented me on my blue-streaked hair (it's a wig, but she doesn't have to know that!) and let me choose a marker - purple for me, of course. I was so excited to write something on that paper...but then I just kind of froze. How to choose what to write when there was so much I could say? I BELIEVE in love, kindness, respect, family, friendship, creativity, Mom's home cooking as comfort food, the power of a good book, the healing of words, laughter as the best medicine, the future, God's love. What was I to write on that board that would really mean something and sum it all up for me? I knew it was just a small vendor at a street fair in a small town; what did it matter? But suddenly it really mattered to me.
Then, just like that, I had it. Uncapping the marker, I took another look at the words "I BELIEVE", then wrote in purple ink, "that there is good in even the worst situations." Satisfied, I stepped back, appraised my work, capped the marker, and handed it back to the woman who had complimented my wig; then I rejoined my mother and we faded back into the crowd.
Dear Hope,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog doing an internet search several months ago while we were out in Arizona, since it's years since you've updated Caringbridge (yes, I keep checking)! Your writing is as amazing as you are! Glad to read about your wonderful day at the street fair. I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES! I am in awe of your strength and courage to BELIEVE in the good in the worst situations. I pray for you and all your family each day and you are never far from my thoughts! Love to all, Carolyn
Thank you! I think I'm just about done with Caringbridge now and graduated to my own little corner of the internet here, but I could never take that site down for all of those lovely comments on it! The treatments I go through now aren't so drastic as the ones I had gone through those first few years, and now the little day-to-day stuff is much more normal than that ever was, so my family and I just never knew what to add onto the Caringbridge site. Now it doesn't feel like constant updates are needed because things don't change as constantly as they used to, and that's a good thing! I like having this new blog for more reflection now. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of your prayers and love!
Love Hope