Echoes

There are great people left in this world. Some really, really, really great people who will go out of their way for folks they don't even know.

Over the weekend, one of the many things we had going on was a benefit for the friend of a friend of my sister -- she knows the gal because their daughters are the same age and she used to coach her in JFL cheerleading. Anyway, Lori is dying of cancer. after fighting breast cancer, going into remission, being diagnosed with liver cancer and being told she was in remission, being diagnosed with cancer in her brain... yada yada yada... she kept fighting and they kept saying she was winning then she'd crash - talk about a roller coaster. Her end is expected but at the same time, it's hard to know when. (We're all going to die sometime right?)

Anyway, she has a 10 year daughter and the friends/family got together to do a benefit to raise money for an education fund for this kid. Just one less thing for mom to worry about while she's handling insurance and doctors and expenses out the wazzu.


So I was talking with some people I know around here (part of the benefit was a silent auction) to see with their connections if they might be able to come up with some goods and/or services to be auctioned off at this benefit. A couple of my contacts came through for me (although a number of others had indicated a willingness to provide items) and so we took them down to IL this weekend.

My sister just called to let me know that the benefit was not as big a success as they would have hoped, but one of the items I took down - authenticated, professionally framed Brett Favre photo actually raised more than 10% of the total proceeds.

My contacts don't know this woman, they don't know her child, they don't know my sister or her friend... all they knew was that someone needed something they could offer.

To me they are truly heroes. Their love and generousity echo around the world and inspire me to find something good to pass along as well.

Dar Williams has a song that speaks volumes to just this sort of thing.

Here are the lyrics:

"Echoes"

Every time you love just a little
Take one step closer, solving a riddle
It echoes all over the world

Every time you opt in to kindness
Make one connection, used to divide us
It echoes all over the world

Every time you choose one more morning
Goodness or meanness, life has one warning
It echoes all over the world

When a leader gets the hungry fed food
When you just make love inside your bedroom
It echoes all over the world

And HERE is where you can listen to this beautiful song. I hope it inspires you as well.