last week in austin
i met someone
who will
die soon.
i looked back
at her, listening
as she shared
her life with me,
learning that she'd soon be
leaving her husband
in the position
we all find ourselves in.
cancer was there,
staring me in the
face but all
i could see was
one of the strongest
people i had ever met.
i cried with her
(yeah, in public, in front of lots of other people)
and told her
that there was
a community of people
that would be there
for her husband
in case
(when?)
he needed it.
she nodded at me.
she knew that.
she was there to
say thanks for giving her
hope, to say thanks
in advance.
...
it just ruins me
to hear from
people like her,
to know that there will
soon be another
family like yours, ours,
but it's further
proof of the
power of community,
and a reminder that sometimes
(just by talking and writing about our situations)
we can change
the future for others.
thanks
ReplyDeleteYou put so much into so little words.....thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this Matt.
ReplyDeleteMy stomach hurts every single time I meet, or hear of, someone who is new to this community.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this, Matt.