Care package
I apologize to all three people who sat with bated breath, waiting to read today’s blog post. I was in a miserable mood this morning. Actually, I was sad. Can I admit that without being labeled crazy? Well, I am, but that’s between me and my therapist.
I told you recently about my friend who lost her sweet baby girl. Grace died after surgery, complications from CDH. She would have been 18-months-old today.
I decided to drop off a package of goodies for my friend. I realize there is nothing I can do to ease the pain, but I could try to brighten her day. I packed cookies, snacks, magazines, zucchini, a picture of Ryan Gosling and left the box on her doorstep. As I drove away, panic set in. What if her husband found the box first? Zucchini? Ryan Gosling? Oh, shit, that doesn’t seem appropriate. My intentions were good. The zucchini is our little inside joke. I tease her for bringing the same zucchini dish to every event. I suppose some people enjoy it. In case you haven’t noticed, I happen to be obsessed with Ryan Gosling. In my opinion, his photo is like a ray of sunshine. (Did I just sound like a stalker?) Well, it was too late, I couldn’t go back. With my luck, it would turn into a Seinfeld episode. A neighbor would see me rifling through the box and call police. I would have to explain to the officer why I was stealing zucchini. I opted to leave and explain later.
I picked the kids up from school and went home. There was a package and other mail on my doorstep. Among the pile of bills was a newsletter from a local children’s hospital. I flipped through the pages and discovered a story about Grace. Her parents helped raise a lot of money for the hospital. They hoped to have a room in the new wing named after Grace. It was going to happen. I smiled thinking of how many lives Grace touched. I guess you don’t need Ryan Gosling after all. Remembering “Amazing Grace” is enough to brighten any day.
Read more: CYNICALMOTHER.COM
4 Comments
d.e. olcott
Wow … beautifully written, with your heart …
Dawn
You are a very thoughtful person.
Camilla
Thank you. Love this blog. I can even taste the zucchini appetizer! You are a wonderful, wonderful friend!
Mary Anne donovan
What a heartwarming, albeit bittersweet tale for a cold March morning. The story of Grace has been one I’ve followed since she was born. I don’t know anything about Grace’s father, but her mother brightened my day with her never-failing smile. And now I’m going to go out, buy a zucchini, and think of your post, Deanna as well as “Amazing Grace.”