You know that Dream you have, Girl?

Image by alles-schlumpf via Flickr

Stumbled upon my friend's FB profile the other day... she passed away shortly before her 40th birthday (breast cancer)... and wall post after wall post after wall post of people wishing her a happy birthday in heaven was powerfully humbling and awakening all at the same time.

No time like the present, eh, to do those things that we always intended to do.

Volunteering Inspiration

I spent a few hours at the Gillis Center this morning wrapping gifts for underprivileged families. The Center provides a great service as the exchange point for incoming donations and outgoing smiles (presents). I'll be the first to admit that my wrapping skills aren't the greatest, but a humble moment never presented itself since all of the families were so overjoyed to have something to give to their loved ones. This is something that I will plan to do for many seasons to come.

This would be a fun blog post if I simply left it at that, but there is much more to tell about my morning. I met a gentleman, a bit disadvantaged in life, but advantaged in other areas, so I was to learn. Towards the end of my time there, he began to frantically write on a piece of stationary once he'd heard that my dream was to become an author. I could tell that he wasn't thinking while writing; he was regurgitating words that he carried with him at all times.

Here they are...

"When is the most recent time I hear the word 'mental'
without the word mental being followed by the word 'illness'
the word 'mentally' without the word 'mentally'
being followed by the word 'ill' or 'retarded'

Mentally Polite Mentally Politely Polite Mentally
Mentally Rude Mentally Rudely Rude Mentally
Mentally Wise Mentally Wisely Wisely Mentally
Mentally Foolish Mentally Foolishly Foolishly Mentally
Mentally Honest Mentally Honestly Honestly Mentally
Mentally Deceiving Deceivingly Mentally Mentally Deceivingly

All people live with mental manners
People being mentally labeled mentally ill
will live with mental manners
in better manners mentally
with better mental manners
than many other persons mentally live
with mental manners mannered mentally."

There is much, much more, but I need to spend some time thinking about his longer writings before I share them with y'all. I'm thankful that he felt inclined to give me such a wonderful gift--unexpected compensation for the time that I'd volunteered.