the proof:

remember my little story about bringing in

piles and piles of wood during cold winter nights?

well, here's the proof!

all that wood, sitting there.

don't you find this a bit humurous?

i do.

this was no tuesday with morrie...

my neighbor, nanci, called me yesterday to ask me to help. she asked me to sit with another neighbor, donna, whom i have never met before this afternoon.

donna has cancer. only 2-3 months to live. she needed someone at the house for four hours to make sure her needs were met, and she was comfortable.

ok. i would do it. happily.

i knocked on the door. another person i had never met answered the door...she was on her way out. i would be taking her place for the next few hours. nanci was there to introduce me to donna. donna did not want to meet me. a few more minutes, and she had to meet me.

nanci wheeled donna out into the family room where i sat on the couch. there was the introduction. no smiles from donna. just wandering eyes. avoiding another connection that would only leave her in more grief to leave this earth.

just donna and i. i tried not to sound unnatural or awkward. failed. we faded in and out of conversation. she constantly stroked her hair, and rubbed her chin. she told me she was insecure about her looks...so much older looking. i don't think she ever stopped touching her hair and face the entire afternoon.

i listened. but there really wasn't much to listen to. she would talk every now and then. rarely did she actually answer my questions, or comment on my stories. she would only comment when she wanted to tell me how miserable life is for her. i tried to listen intently to her at these moments. i never gave advice. i listened because she didn't talk much at all.

there's not much hope in her, and she isn't prone to give sage advice. she's dying, and that's what's killing her.

(names have been changed)
(photo by me)