Hi. I’m Kate. Turn ons include IV drips, PETscans, and organic fig newtons. Turn offs include whining, hospital gowns, and artificial sugar.
Let’s see how much life I can squeeze in between work, chemo, sleep, and scans.
Shells
She gave me a shell. It was a simple act really. We were walking along the beach and she reached down, picked it up, and handed it to me. She said it was pretty and wanted me to have it. I don’t even think it qualifies as an actual shell. It’s really just a sliver of a shell, but I took it, thanked her, and we finished the walk hand in hand.
I have always been amazed by people who can remember dates. I have a few dates stored in my mind, but I’m usually lucky if I guess the correct decade. To compensate for this shortcoming, I collect souvenirs. I have a small collection of random items that I slip in my pocket whenever the mood strikes me (these are all free, I’m no kleptomaniac). Notable items include a cork from a memorable dinner, a dried flower from my mom’s funeral, and, the newest addition, some kind of strange nut from a walk in the woods. I can look at any one of these items and tell you where it came from and what made that day so special. The shell sliver is now part of collection. I may not be able to always remember the date August 11, 2007, but I’ll always have the shell to remind me of this vacation, this day, and this walk along the beach with my niece.
Glad you’re having a nice trip. I love the idea of little things to help remember special moments. Will have to start doing that.
Nieces can give so sweetly eh. I always feel grateful when my 5 year old niece gives me a reminder of the power of love, sincerity, and the awesome nature of the universe, in the shape of a pebble, or blade of grass.
Wow! What a talented, beautiful writer you are, Kate! You continue to inspire and lift up ALL of life: its deep waters, its bright blue sky.
It’s almost poetic how you have taken so much value from the most valueless little objects (although you could reuse the cork). To me, life is a bunch of very special moments, separated in time by long expanses of working, sleeping, and watching tv!
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