Human Kindness

The baby I wrote about yesterday, a child I do not know, nor do I know any of his family, is doing somewhat better today. I was so glad to see that message in his mom’s blog.

That was really good news.

But here is what I am looking at as more good news.

The appeal to pray for this little one started with his mother’s posting on line. She does have a lovely site and I know she had quite a number of followers before Stellan got sick 2 weeks ago. But the response is flat out staggering.

Her emotional but beautifully written posts are receiving 300 to more than 600 comments each! Her blog is getting over 100,000 hits per day. Take a look at Stellan’s Name Gallery on her site. People have drawn and formed his name in every conceivable way and have sent pictures in, declaring their loving thoughts and prayers. There are HUNDREDS of them. From all over the world.

Jennifer, the mom, had been relegated by the hospital’s “Hospitality Coordinator” to a miserable little room that had no shower, and she had to be out of by 6 every morning. After learning this, one reader arranged for a night in a nearby hotel. Then some other people did the same. And then some others. Jennifer reports incredulously that she is now a VIP at the hotel, where she and her husband finally were able to sleep in a regular bed and take a shower.

Other friends of theirs started a fund to help them through this rough time.

My daughter was six when she had her heart surgery, three weeks after my husband died. I remember the constantly suppressed panic, the fear, the exhaustion, the despair that Jennifer talks about. My friends and family were very good to me at that time. But this is the entire planet.

Everything I want to say about this is so saccharine, so schmaltzy, I fear losing readers. However, even if you take the prayers out of the equation, even if you have a different belief system, think about what is happening here. It is simply a remarkable snapshot of the power that we all can have to effect good.

It was scrolling down that gallery of pictures of Stellan’s name that really struck me. Dozens and dozens and dozens of “Stellan”’s, in every possible medium. The pictures started to build momentum for me and flew by in a blur as I scrolled down. I caught my breath to think of the astonishing potential we have as human beings to be kind and generous. And I sighed to think of how often we aren’t.

I so hope Stellan continues to improve. And I hope the compassionate energy this is creating can eventually ripple through all our lives, around the globe.

Prayer Campaign

I happened on a blog yesterday that has truly touched me.

Jennifer is the mother of four under four. Her blog (here) is a charming celebration of her family, a family that was pretty ordinary until a few months ago.

Her youngest baby, Stellan, was born with a serious heart condition. Jennifer’s blog got the word out and pretty soon people all over the world were praying for him. They demonstrated that by holding Stellan’s name up in unbelievable places, the desert in Africa, a street in Argentina, in front of the Eiffel Tower. He went home a healthy little boy.

Stellan is now five months old. He was beating the odds until about 10 days ago, when his heart began to beat out of control. He is not doing well at all.

Jennifer is blogging about his condition several times a day and it is simply heartbreaking. I feel especially connected because my youngest was also born with a heart defect. There is no more helpless feeling than to see your child sick, to watch them go into heart surgery. But now she is a strong, beautiful 21 year-old. We were so lucky.

So I wanted to do this post to ask that those of you who have a tradition of prayer, pray for Stellan and his family. If that is not your tradition, please just think good thoughts that they will have the happy outcome we did. And add to this, for all anonymous families suffering with their children this day.

A Gift

I have many wonderful people in my life who are very good to me. Sometimes, when I get lost in a maze of ceilings and finances and loneliness and illness, like this week, I tend to forget that.

My friend Debe in Missouri is an accomplished, innovative artist. She also has MS, but continues to express and generously share her talents.

Yesterday I was surprised by a package. And this is what was inside.

The attached note says:

Sweet Marie,

A bottle of Goddess dust to help ease your pain and worries.

Gaze upon it. Remember I will think of you daily and send healing prayers.

Her kindness has literally taken my breath away.

To say ‘thank you’ feels like the most banal and inadequate response possible. So what I am called to do is to share her love and hope with anyone reading this post who also has a need for healing prayers. I know so many of you have just as many things to deal with and worry about as I do, if not more.

Even if I don’t know you, even if I don’t know what you are carrying, please know I am sending healing prayers your way and will also think of you daily.

And thank you Debe, for this treasure, for your love and for your friendship.