June 14: Another Hero, Another Workshop, Another Car Repair

Well, the Spiritual Autobiography Workshop I thought I was going to have to cancel picked up two more participants this morning.  Therefore, I will be at church tonight talking about spiritual journeys and Abraham and writing.  It should be a really good night with good conversation and people.  We'll see if, after I explain the requirements of the workshop, everybody will want to move ahead.  It requires quite a commitment of time and energy, from the participants and me.

But I'm not complaining.  You see, I found a new hero who has taught me something about complaining.  You'll remember, last Friday, I wrote about Dale Price from the blog Wave At the Bus.  He's the father who dressed up in costumes and waved at his teenage son's school bus.  I found another everyday hero on another blog.  The Blogger people chose a blog about Alice x, a 15-year-old girl with terminal cancer, as a Blog of Note yesterday.  Alice's Bucket List is not depressing, maudlin, or in any way like Terms of Endearment.  Alice x is a normal girl, living each day to the fullest.  She's matter-of-fact about her chances of survival, which I gather are not very good, and she's trying to do awesome things with the time she has left.

The number one item on Alice x's bucket list is "To make everyone sign up to be a bone marrow donor."  Her sister, Milly, ran the Race for Life this past Sunday, and, thanks to Alice's Bucket List, Milly raised over £30,000.  (By the way, Alice is British.)  In just five blog posts, Alice has over 12,000 followers, and she's become an Internet superstar.  For being positive and brave and selfless.  She's absolutely amazing.

And her story puts things into perspective for me.  I often get wound up in my little world of jealousy and ego.  I mock the famous, ridicule the fortunate, and bemoan the fact I can't get chosen as a freakin' Blog of Note.  I'm a small person, most of the time, with petty worries.  Alice x is a fearless girl with fearless dreams.  She deserves to be admired.  She is a hero, in every sense of the word.

I guess what I'm trying to say today is that we're all blessed.  When I get up in the morning, that's a blessing.  When I get a hug from my daughter or son, that's a blessing.  When the garage calls to tell me I have to have my brakes fixed to the tune of $500, that's a blessing, too.  Because I have a car.  Because I can scrape together the cash to pay for the fix.  I'm blessed.  (I wish I wasn't QUITE so blessed with the car repair, but that's the way it goes.)

Go visit Alice x's blog.  She doesn't ask for money or tears or pity.  She doesn't ask for anything.  She just counts her blessings and goes for walks with her mom and dog.  She really is a saint.

Saint Marty has a lot to learn.

Saint Alice x