Charlie
Charlie’s story started even before Charlie was Charlie. You see, my Great Grandparents (and my girls’ Great Great Grandparents), Charles Crangle and Mable (Seeley) Crangle loved each other deeply and tried to make ends meet working odd jobs and selling the produce...Rearing Its Ugly Head
Cancer rearing its ugly head once again. Not once and done, but twice within a year. It does not matter what kind it is. Cancer is cancer and there’s nothing good about that. I wonder when it first appeared. What did it look like? How did they treat it? Did many live? Or did they have to fight the battle over and over again?
Do you know that it is taken my grandparents, my sister, and it has attacked my mom, now for the second time. How many have to lose the battle? how many have to be called to fight this war? In the trenches, it’s not only them that fight and grow weary. Each loved one side by side, fighting right along beside. So many friends and family,too, have fought. Some have rolled the die, and won their battle. Celebrations in pink surround those who have gained life on the other side of breast cancer. Their body left behind is quite another story. The battle is never truly over, though, for the cancer still resides within. It for the moment that we least expect, and then it rears its ugly head.
Many a tale to tell. Dragon slayers and strong stern devoted ones line the battle field. In the trees and the whispers of the winds, the fairy tales are told too. Each story commanding a different mechanism for coping with what is straight ahead.
Strong. You gotta be strong. You can get through this. The words you hear echoing out of your lips. Your heart has other words that shan’t be shared.
One day at a time. One step at a time. One visit. And then another. Let’s start with radiation. We’re sure to get it all. And almost the same time last year those exact words were shed. But, back the cancer has come. A new location it appears. Cancer’s been playing hide and seek. But this is no game. For no one ever wins.
Next round. We need to do more. Now chemo and more. Your beautiful hair you used to spend hours styling in front of the mirror, now laying in clumps at our feet. Boy how I wish you had one more chance to spend hours in front of the mirror without a care in the world. I used to be grossed out by hair on the bathroom floor. Now all I want to do is pick it all up and make this all go away.
It’s not supposed to be this way. You’re the older, the wiser. Not me. I’m not ready to step up. Not ready to take the reign. Victory took the prize the last time. Is it too much to try for it again. But we know that greed has no place here. Maybe it’s a divergent victory lap we take.
We pick up the pieces. Straighten everything out. The victory garden blooming so colorful and bright. The sweet aroma of each opened bloom tells me you’re near and I’ve nothing to fear. The best is not what’s left behind, but what’s straight ahead
Scattered Is Now a Series
As I sit down, I am humbled and in awe to share with you all once again that a continuation of my Bucket List goals has been accomplished. For years I have been encouraged to share my stories, more than “just in the classroom”. It all felt so overwhelming...Reunion
Remember, the days when families used to get together? Family reunions. Potlucks. Everybody brought their own dishes to share. There was always the red, white, and blue angel food cake from Great Aunt Jenny that was popular at the Fourth of July, many fruit and...