September 10, 2009

A List




Happy Birthday Marion.


Himself: Swim, job hunt, boxed, took his dress shirts to the cleaners, bought a perfect birthday card for MB, cooked dinner....goodness.

Herself: Swam, wrote, got to school early to scope out parking, class, dinner on deck again, took card up to MB, quiet evening at home.

Reading: Fr. Tim.

Balance: Talking with Marion yesterday.

G stopped to buy Marion a birthday card yesterday. He's in charge of the birthdays here ever since I forgot one. After finding the perfect birthday card, nothing could be better for him than to deliver it to her door step come rain, sleet, or high water.

She graciously invited us in, and we kindly didn't sing. We stayed for a moment at her urging for a bit of spritely conversation too.

"What," I asked her, "did she want for her birthday this year."

From a woman who has suffered wearing out with class and pizazz came a list. You can see her now waving it, along with a pen, "Balboa Park and museums," she told us. "Valley center, the Zoo, Borrego Springs, the Embarcadero." Oh, the list was far longer than that.

Her family is coming by today, and she will wave her list toward them...I'm sure with a delightful twinkle in her eye. They can sign up for one or more things on her list, and when she has energy, she will call in their marker. No cake or ice cream here, but elephants instead. No boxes tied with fancy ribbons, in their places wait ships resting in the sun. It's been a year since the cyber knife lung cancer surgery, and she is perking up and looking outward once more.

I too might like elephants or ships with masts reaching for the stars. What a great idea.

3 comments:

  1. What a lovely entry, what a lovely story, what a lovely Marion! I love the idea of such a fabulous list! I think I will share it with my mother - who really just wants time with all of us as her gift - and what a fabulous and fun way to make that so!

    Thank you so much for sharing, and happy birthday to Ms. Marion!

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  2. You dont even know, Marge, how much I enjoyed this entry about Marion's birthday celebration. had some bad news yesterday about my health. And so to read your entry, how much spunk your friend - and you - have in the face of so many adversities during life, makes me stronger. I am glad there was no singing, no cake, no little packages. I prefer her kind of birthday celebration too.

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  3. one tanker, coming up. what color you want that, Lady?

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