Ok, read no further if you want bitter rantings!
I just got an alumnus publication from Benedictine College, Atchison, KS. Anybody who knows me has heard me blather on about this place as if it were a magical wonderland. At any rate, my experiences there were pivotal, so as you can imagine the Alumni magazine is a quarterly highlight (I know I am a dork, shut it.) Well, this time as I leafed through I noticed a two-page spread on some peripheral friends, John and Jennifer Schmidt (Jennifer was a dorm director and career counselor for the college.)
The article was about their child "Gianna", it was not your normal birth announcement, the baby died as the result of a very rare birth defect that causes a fetus to be born without kidneys. Of course I was shocked, this is tragedy visited upon people I know. The Schmidt's found out pretty late in the pregnancy, they have two young sons aged 6 and 3, I don't know what my point is here, I guess it is just about courage. The article had a picture of the family shortly after Gianna was born; they knew that her life was going to be short... I don't know I wish I could show you the picture; there is such a beauty and peace around that family. I took the following away from the story:
experience love when you can, it is fleeting
make it available to others always
your own pain is worthless if it paralyzes you, do what is right and be strong even if it hurts
The picture is more than adoring parents and cute children; there was this intangible something in it. You know that these people are aware that this is one of the few moments that they will ever hold this child. Despite this they seem to be in the moment, loving the baby. That is what she needed, that is what their sons needed, that is courage.
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