A young woman named Holly Butcher recently passed away in Australia. Holly wrote a letter on Facebook that I think Madison would like us all to read, another non-Facebook link here. Many of us had incredibly deep conversations with Madison who also spoke extremely wisely about missing the woman she wouldn't be allowed to become, kids she wouldn't have... that she didn't want to go. It's truly an amazing parallel between these remarkable young women.
Until this journey started like many, we were mostly ignorant and afraid of life's inevitability... which is death. In 2014 during Madison's treatments I remember seeing groups of cackling girls in Boston headed to school. Unspoken then, we admitted later that we were jealous... our fears, anxiety, and insecurities had us thinking those lucky bitches. In the movie 'The Fault In Our Stars' we saw that same thing. Fast forward to last month knowing that Madison liked getting out of the house when she could and loved Jamba Juice: one evening we went in to the restaurant. Madi had a small oxygen tank and was sporting her red walker. She politely places her order, pays, and the young woman asks her name, and we sit down at a table. A couple of minutes later the Jamba Juicer called Madison's name and set the drink on the counter about 15 feet from us. We were literally the only customers in the restaurant and had to smirk at one another. Neither of us thought the Jamba Juicer was insensitive... just not paying attention to her surroundings and likely self-involved obsessing about something insignificant... perhaps just being pissed off that she's got the night shift again. What Madison or Holly wouldn't have given to have that night shift. Again, the Facebook link is above and a link for non-Facebookers too.
Until this journey started like many, we were mostly ignorant and afraid of life's inevitability... which is death. In 2014 during Madison's treatments I remember seeing groups of cackling girls in Boston headed to school. Unspoken then, we admitted later that we were jealous... our fears, anxiety, and insecurities had us thinking those lucky bitches. In the movie 'The Fault In Our Stars' we saw that same thing. Fast forward to last month knowing that Madison liked getting out of the house when she could and loved Jamba Juice: one evening we went in to the restaurant. Madi had a small oxygen tank and was sporting her red walker. She politely places her order, pays, and the young woman asks her name, and we sit down at a table. A couple of minutes later the Jamba Juicer called Madison's name and set the drink on the counter about 15 feet from us. We were literally the only customers in the restaurant and had to smirk at one another. Neither of us thought the Jamba Juicer was insensitive... just not paying attention to her surroundings and likely self-involved obsessing about something insignificant... perhaps just being pissed off that she's got the night shift again. What Madison or Holly wouldn't have given to have that night shift. Again, the Facebook link is above and a link for non-Facebookers too.
Dear Madison - Thanks for teaching so many of us to occasionally look away from Facebook and our phones, and to appreciate life, love, and the human beings around us... even strangers sitting in a restaurant or people in line at the store. We've learned that each day is truly a fragile and unpredictable gift, and to do something good, to be good, which makes us feel good. We all miss you immensely and we are trying to adapt to our new normal's without you here. Truth be told, Bailey maybe not so much. She was at your moms over the weekend and has since been trying to figure out what that giant thing is in the middle of your room here, why there are sticks on the wall, where you are... there's definitely something going on.
