DEAR…

Prudence. Won’t you come out to play?

Dear Prudence,

Greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It’s beautiful, and so are you
Dear Prudence
Won’t you come out to play?

Dear Prudence
Open up your eyes
Dear Prudence
See the sunny skies
The wind is low, the birds will sing
That you are part of everything
Dear Prudence
Won’t you open up your eyes?

A dear friend of mine, who I’ve known for many years, recently received a diagnosis and prognosis that is more than awful. She has learned that she is living with ALS. I don’t need to go into detail here, as I think we all understand the basic pathology of the condition. My friend has told me that she thinks of me and borrows my strength of spirit, while marveling at how I live life. My Dear Prudence, I am the Wizard of Oz. Everything you need to continue to live is inside of you. Your spirit and mind are two deep places that no disease can touch. Tragically, when one learns that they have a chronic illness, it is easy to allow it to burrow in and, if not kept at bay, can weasel in to said spirit and mind and slowly, not unlike the physical sickness, begin to pummel them like a solitary tree growing on the edge of a cliff in a gale wind.

YOU have the power to stop that. As John Lennon sings the words I wrote above…the skies are sunny in the warm spring of New Hampshire and today, right now, YOU are a part of everything. Open up your eyes, take a moment to reflect on things that ALS cannot touch this hour or ever. Another one of my favorite lyricists, Neil Peart said: All of us get lost in the darkness…dreamers learn to steer by the stars. Turn around and walk the razor’s edge. Don’t turn your back and slam the door on me.

Though we only live a mile apart, YOU have the ability to make that a small or wide gap. Yes, I visit first for the ice cream (just kidding…not really kidding), but I cannot wait to smile when you come out to play and we race through your quiet neighborhood in our Rolls Royces.

I’m coming by your house again soon. I don’t want to hear about how hard things are. I already know that. Let’s go out and play. The scarecrow sent me.