The Neverending Story

'The finest steel has to go through the hottest fire.'
--John N Mitchell

We set up this website in late October for our wonderful, inquisitive, loving Aiyana. Yana is our eight year old daughter, sister, cousin, niece, friend and granddaughter who was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of leukemia (MPAL).

Aiyana had an amazing life and we are filled with hundreds of heartwarming memories. May all of us take to heart how much a little girl from Lockeford, CA, impacted the world and be reminded and inspired to never let the sun go down without living each day all the way through.

Her Spirit is in every Butterfly.

11.13.2009

A Slow Melt

By now you've probably heard the news that Ginger, the family dog, was tragically hit and killed by a car on Wednesday night. Little Gingy was a -- dauschand? doxiand? dauschaund? -- oh for crying out loud, she was a wiener dog. We are so very sorry and will miss the little pup.

Have you ever bought an ice cream cone to take home to somebody? Then you know you have the most noble intentions as you hop into the hot car. You're halfway home and it begins a slow melt toward the cone and you tell yourself Don't lick it, don't lick it, but eventually you do, because it's trickling down your hand and into your lap. By the time you get home, all nobility aside, the cone is half gone with thick lick marks all around the base.

I always thought bravery was like that, a flash of nobility but something impossible to sustain. But that's not what I'm seeing. What I see here is a family focused and intent on staying present and facing life challenge by challenge, day by day. I'm sure it's hard, and exhausting, and sometimes dark, but they don't show it. What they show instead is a new definition of the word bravery that includes teasing, laughter, joy and hope, talking it through and talking it over. With great heart and compassion, they let their kids watch and learn from their fine example how to be strong and courageous.

And the rest of us, too.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful child, we are thinking of you every day. Your friends in Minnesota.

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