At Least They're Committed

I simply must get my check in the mail to ensure my spot at the Champagne and Diamonds event later this month! It will be ever-so delightful all while supporting women with breast cancer. I’ve been once before with the ladies, and I look forward to going again. Oh, maybe I shall purchase a new dress! First, however, I need to keep much better watch on my eating, lest I burst out of any attire I should desire.

Breast cancer charities are indeed worthwhile, but I must admit that I go to this mostly for the camaraderie. My passions are ending homelessness — including the human and the pet population — and cystic fibrosis.

I was visiting Michigan at the time when my cousin Robyn was just getting sick. We all thought it was just another ’bout.’ I was at Uncle Dee’s and he said and as he hung up the phone with her, “All the money goes to cancer research, more people have cancer.” And it seemed like he was chopping up meat for dinner at the time, because he struck the knife down with such force I could see his fear and frustration. For good reason. Robyn died a month later, days after her 35th birthday. The daily updates leading to her death were painful, terrifying. I walked every day, sending my energy her way. I’d been emailing her fun-and-funky stories and her sister kept reporting that they made her laugh. Yet the whole thing was staggeringly painful.

I give to Easter Seals and prostate cancer at the grocery store. I do what I can to promote the causes of my friends who are out there on the streets physically helping the lost. Breast cancer ain’t my thang’ despite the docs once insisting I might have it ( I di’unt).

But I’m looking forward to this event. There’s a bigger group of us girls than ever this year. Even though it’s not “my” cause, it is a great cause and I’m excited to be a part of it . . . and because it’s something my friends are deeply involved in. I absolutely support what they support.

Dear Gabriel: Please note that I didn’t set out to write this; I wanted to write about how it seemed like you were there Monday night and then things got more terrifying and then I couldn’t feel you anymore and I felt abandoned. But you said you were there and I believe you even though I couldn’t feel it rather because you must have been since I’m still here. And I know if you came full force, all would be smitten and that would have been worse. But it was still scary and I felt very alone.