She Made Her Godmother Smile

After going to the theater with friends to see the documentary NED The Movie, I came home and hugged my kids (my sister's nieces), perhaps tighter then I ever had before. The film brought out emotions that I'd buried away, deep enough that when roused, brought tears and perhaps too much familiarity, considering the passage of time. I guess that's the mark of a well done film. A film that I'd like to see go viral (though, I wouldn't suggest it for a date night). The intent of the documentary was to raise awareness for gynecologic cancers. It followed gynecologic oncologist doctors, both as practicing physicians and musicians. In the latter role, they were bringing awareness and healing; the former, depicted the reality of the disease that so randomly, yet decisively kills over 14,000 women in the US every year. What are the odds, that 1 of those 14,000 could be your child's godmother? Their aunt? Your sister at the age of 41... It happened to us in 2008, which is precisely why I embraced my kids so tightly when I came home. As I left the theater tonight, my friend was distributing pamphlets with the warning signs ovarian cancer, I graciously declined. She knew that I was well aware already, having learned from loss (as did she with the loss of her mom). Hug your kids, talk to your siblings, raise a toast with a girlfriend... make some noise in honor of Eileen. I only wish that we'd known the signs... On a lighter note, my nine year old reminded me that "at least Aunt Eileen is having a good time in heaven."  With that, I'm certain, she made her godmother smile!

Diagnosed in March 2008
with ovarian cancer at age 41,
died 8 months later.

http://www.nedthemovie.com/

I Love Lucy vs morning news

This morning, I randomly turned the station on the kitchen tv from my default channel with morning news, to meTV.  I wanted to spare my 9 year old the day's headlines; weather, politics, reports of kindness, followed by headlines that you simply can't (and wish you didn't have to) explain. MeTV airs I Love Lucy  at 7:30am.  Instead of watching the news, I was watching how captivated my child was by I Love Lucy. I don't know how much of it she got, but she laughed, genuinely laughed, which is how a 9 year old should start her day.  Had she been watching the news, she would have seen a girl, her age(10 actually); living in a country, 7,000 miles away; on TV, because of her forced involvement in a failed suicide bombing. Try putting that into terms a child can understand...  I know, when I was 9 or 10, I had no idea what was going on in the rest of the world.  I do remember my parents sometimes watching I Love Lucy. It makes me think that I should tune into more of the classic shows for my kids sake… and mine; after all,  I did make a resolution to laugh more.  Just because the headlines capture my attention, they don't need to and certainly shouldn't, captivate my kids.