Saturday, May 31, 2008

Random thoughts.........

I got an email joke from a girl friend last week - it was the one about why they don't let women over 50 have babies - you see, they think we would set them down and forget where we put them. It's probably true.

I need to buy one of those little recorders (like in the commercial where the lady says "One loaf of bread and a quart of milk" Who couldn't remember that?) During the day I have these brief flashes of brilliance - a thought so grand it could only have come from Robert Fulghum - you know the "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarden" guy? Then I could record those moments of grand thought so that I could share them with you - but alas, they come and go, like fairies in the garden. Maybe just keeping a little notepad in my purse would help.

So, my random thought for today is: Don't be afraid to say "I'd like to know you better"

A local man named Tom Hunter is a talented singer and song writer - one of the most talented that I've ever had the pleasure to meet. He has been a teacher and most recently a minster. I've known OF him for many years - my good friend Linda was his family's day care provider and they have remained friends for almost 30 years. Tom and his wife Gwen have performed their wonderful music locally and nationally.

Last week it was announced that he has been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease a rare and fatal prion disease that affects the brain - similar to BSE (otherwise known as Mad Cow Disease) or Scrapie (even the word strikes terror in the heart of a shepherd). It is a cruel disease, taking bits of one's life away daily - most often, the afflicted person is aware of what he or she is losing, making it even more heartbreaking. It progresses rapidly, and is, as I said, fatal.



Over the years, I've often wished that I knew Tom and Gwen better. Our circles of friends overlap, but never quite enough to make a connection, if you know what I mean. And that is not a bad thing - one cannot be all, or know all things to all people, but sometimes, you just wish you had known a person a little better.

3 comments:

Michelle said...

How sad about Tom! I believe the position that connects the prion diseases, although the USDA and FDA would like to deny it (all the way to the bank).

Anyway, I would like to know YOU better, and look forward to getting to do that at BSG. :-)

And Robert Fulghum is one of my favorite authors....

sewbeezy said...

Thank you for visiting my blog. I really enjoyed reading through yours. I am so sorry to hear about your friend's illness.

The picture of your little black and white ram was sweet! He's a looker that's for sure. Will you be keeping him?

As to how I do all that I do.....well, I tend to have several projects going at any given time. I also tend to work on different things throughout the day. So far it has worked out nicely and I even managed to get things finished.

Kathy said...

I am so sorry to hear about Tom. I hope Gwen will be able to rely on friends in this difficult time for both of them.

And I am so very glad to have both YOU and THE SHEPHERD in my life - and have opportunities to know you both better.

Thanks for sharing these thoughts.