Joyful Storyteller

Honk! Honk!

Beep! Beep!

Whoop!!!

What is going on? 

Well, those joyful sounds around the block are drive-by party goers. Ah, come on. You’ve probably heard them. Maybe you’ve even participated. 

Every time I hear the happy honking and cheering, my spirits are lifted at the resilience of us. Deep in the midst of pandemic – hello, 6th months – our joy cannot be extinguished!

Recently my young adult celebrated his 20th year around the sun. Every birthday is a cherished gift. Especially for this kid. He wasn’t supposed to make it past 2 years old. Cause, well, cancer. 

Unpredictable. Not Hereditary. Less than a 10% chance of survival they told us. So began our relationship with chemo, the afternoon snack cart and neutropenia. 

You can imagine how difficult it must have been to find any drop of joy in the midst of our family pandemic. Yet, there he was. Kenny, my baby boy. Smiling, waving and tossing a ball to the teen battling his own cancer who stood at our hospital door. This was Kenny’s reality: giggling with the nurses, flicking the bubbles out of the syringes before every IV flush and finding sustenance in mama’s milk – milk that was no longer being produced suddenly arrived – an answer to my desperate prayers and the first of many miracles God blessed us with. So many moments of joy filled me with peace; gave me the reassurance that no matter what happens – like, lungs filled with fluid, infected IV lines, and bone marrow destruction – God is always in control. 

To my astonishment, this little baby became joy to the world. Emails poured in from underground prayer groups in China, churches in South Korea and across the U.S. Handwritten prayers in prayer books in the British Isles testified to the hope my son meant to so many. Joy found itself in the midst of all this.

Our family pandemic 18 years ago certainly prepared me for what is happening today. I took leave of my job and confined myself to the pediatric oncology department. For six weeks. This was waaaay before wifi. And with Kenny’s white cell count in the basement, visitors were not allowed in his room. Washing hands and wearing masks meant life or death for my baby. Even after 14 months of chemo (grinding up chemo pills at home is fun!), I was super cautious about going “out” and exposing Kenny to anything that could affect his already compromised immune system. 

Being super cautious today has transformed birthday parties into birthday drive by’s. A quick reunion. Perhaps an ideal gathering for some of us who prefer an introvert’s life. Yet despite the “rushed” contact and the inconvenience of wearing a mask, there’s a moment of joy to be had. And, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for going out of your way to wear a mask. 

Discussing the fashion of masks with my “almost” adult son, it just makes sense to wear one…. for him, for me, for our community. Plus, our new accessory can be customized to match our outfits! 

As restrictions are slowly being lifted, we’ve been combing through all kinds of masks, patterns, colors and styles. Cause, why not? Not only is it joyful to shop, it’s joyful to know we are doing our part to keep us all healthy. 

So how about some cause-related fashion for your next drive by? (Anybody remember 7th On Sale? I got to coordinate the Levi Strauss & Co. participation for this “cause-related” fashion fundraiser. Super fun!). 

Olivia&Kate are high schoolers making very fashionable masks and donating 100% of the proceeds to organizations supporting families with COVID and organizations dedicated to abolishing systematic racism. Check out these fashion statements and help out a great cause at the same time: www.oliviaandkate.org.

Make it a point to find your joy. Everyday. In your children. In your spouse. In your circumstances. Your joyful-ness is contagious. And, like my Kenny, you are light, you are hope to others around you. Despite all that is happening right now, we will be ok.

Because we are Resilient.

Full of Hope. 

Shining with Joy.

Enjoy this joyful Disney-esque song with a message!