So last night: my mom and I saw a speaker at the Cancer Support Community, Michael Eselun. He serves as a chaplain at UCLA in the oncology unit. Madison, Angela and I had the opportunity to see him speak a couple of years ago, he's hands-down awesome! Given all of the treatments that Madison plowed through and Michael's credentials and experiences, I asked him a couple of easy questions during the Q&A last night: is there a heaven, do all things really happen for a reason, and do you believe in Karma? Simple enough, aye?! He's very eloquent: he reiterated that the only things that matter are to the degree we assign them meaning, and whatever is in our hearts is the only truth. Me? I believe in heaven. I believe there is sin in the world but cancer, blindness, and other tragedies are indiscriminate, all things do not happen for a reason, and Karma... yepper: I don't believe in coincidence.
Dear Madi - we couldn't decide what to do with your remains in Colorado so I brought them home... I'll take a piece of you back to Colorado again next year. I was 22 once and understood you wanting to spread your adult wings, charitable and fun-loving nature at prior XMO camps without moms or me there... I was built the same way. You were right! The XMO experience was beyond incredible, and thank you for helping me give me back to myself. Love, Dad