Saturday I posted about the song Brave by Sara Bareilles. The song is
about being brave and being true to yourself by being wholly you. But it is
also about being brave in the face of adversity. Saturday night I attended a fundraiser for a young woman who is dying from Stage
IV metastatic breast cancer. Her aunt, Ivette is a co-worker. Our relationship
is one of colleagues since we work in different offices, but our departments
intersect quite a bit.
Several of us from work attended the
fundraiser. We sat together as friends more than as co-workers. There were
inside jokes and idle gossip, but there was also a solidarity that we were
there for Ivette. We know Ivette from work, and we love Ivette. We want her to
know that she is not alone as she faces this family tragedy.
It was difficult for me to attend. I wanted
to be there more than anything else. I wanted to show support but was uncertain
about what I might encounter; what could I say to this family? You see, while
everyone’s life has a limit, Ivette’s niece has been given a death sentence all
too early. What could I possibly say to show my support? While I understand the
disease I cannot offer words of hope to someone who is dying. I can’t say “Hang
in there. Things will be ok” because they won’t.
Jeannette is 30 years old, with two children
and has been given months to live. She was there. She stood tall and proud. She
worked her way through the room, stopping at each table to say “thank you” to
the guests that had attended. There were hugs and pictures with friends. Aunt
Ivette sat with us. Both she and Jeannette knew we were there for Ivette. In many
ways the fundraiser was a celebration of Jeannette’s life. But it was also a
time for her friends and family to say “good-bye.”
What struck me was how brave this young woman
truly is. In the face of adversity she showed up. She is sick. She is dying. Yet
she rallied her strength to come out for an evening event filled with people
and entertainment. I am sure she was exhausted the next day. And she was bald.
I was so proud of her. I know the courage that it took. Many people commented
on the fact that she showed up bald. No wig. No scarf. No hat. Bald. One of my
friends captured the moment when she said, “Look how beautiful she is.”
Yes, she is and always will be beautiful. And
she is brave.
Yes, that takes bravery. My mother was very brave in the face of her death sentence, my father, too. What a legacy. And you, too, are brave to tell your story. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBald is beautiful. Still I'd like to get my eyebrows back. :D
ReplyDelete