The "Come-Back" Kids!

NAEYC Orlando. 2011. Peabody Ballroom.
Annual NAEYC Friday-night tradition.

Meet Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld. She is the Arts-Mother-of-us-all. She is three parts mentor. Two parts coach. One part muse. Twelve parts inspiration. Ninety-nine parts guts, PURE GUTS....... and goodness gracious how many more parts are there to this woman? This is Mim sharing her spotlight and stage with me, her young protege and upstart. This is Mimi and me caught "dreaming" together -- in sign language. This is Mim + moi caught having a moment.

Mim has invited me up onto her grand stage. This is Mimi & me serenading the campfire circle of teacher-peer-friends at the conclusion of an amazing international gathering of talent, learning, sharing, stretching and growing. (Allen took the picture from the back of the packed ballroom, testing the camera's telephoto close-up capacity.)

I knew that she wanted me to lead the group in a gathering of my theme song, "You're Wonderful." I knew that it would be emotional for me, as I was worn out and battling a garden variety-cold with some laryngitis thrown in from talking 10 hours a day for 3 days straight. I knew that when I get worn out I tend to get emotional. Sharing the stage with Mim, following our sing-a-long, I described us as the "Come-back Kids." Some in the audience were familiar with each of our stories. Some knew one of the stories. Some had no idea.

Mim was driving her car and was T-boned by a truck. Literally in intensive care: shattered. How many broken bones? Just a blink ago. I on the other hand have had my innocence shattered by early Breast Cancer & it's ramifications & complications. Not once. Twice. Yet we have put the wheels back on our respective buses, regrouped and picked up the torch again and again and again and again to carry it forward. To carry it for children. To carry it for teachers. To carry.

I went digging in my blog's archive and found a picture of Mim during her rehabilitation phase, when we attempted to surprise her with a video-filming & outpouring of LUV...... but she got wind of our gathering and came to the party in person, riding her wheel chair with enthusiasm!!! I checked the blog's log date. It was less than two years ago!!!! (Click here to read that posting and see her amazing gathering of supporters in tie-dye..... all of Columbus: Ballet Met, GCAC, JCC, folk dancers, writers + poets + children et. al.) Only occasion -- ever --when Mim was at a loss for words.

Mimi and I have leaned on one another more than once. She calling me with delightful news to lift my spirits after my various surgeries. Me stopping by after Howie's funeral with projects to share. It's a mutual admiration society obviously -- our cheering one another forward. As long as life goes on, ya just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Tonight I've learned that one of my new blogging buddies has received harsh news. As a youngster of 33, she has just received her second diagnosis of cancer-of-the-tongue. Rare to begin with. Unheard of to receive a second diagnosis with her youth. My heart is heavy on Mandy's behalf. She has created a blog-linky, to have us share our experience with cancer. To share some encouragement. To offer support. To come together. How truly amazing that I have the picture of the "Come Back Kids" captured together just last night.







What's my advice/insight to Mandy at the news of her second diagnosis? 

1. Allow yourself to feel ALL of your feelings and then 'let-them-go.'
2. Allow others to show their love & concern by giving them assignments-of-support.
3. When in doubt, ALWAYS fill yourself with hope.
4. Stay busy with tidbits that make you happy. Focus on those details.
5. Gather stories of "over-coming" for quick reference on overcast days or sleepless nights.
6. Expect people to say some wacky-stuff, know they mean well, then let it go. Forgive.
7. Find as many things to laugh about as possible: ie watch re-runs of your favorite comedies.
8. Add to your bucket list and focus on all of the amazing adventures that still await.
9. Remember to take good care of yourself in the whirlwind: baby steps -- prioritize.
10. Exhale deeply. With regularity. Then exhale again. Rinse and repeat. One step at a time.
11. Take a notebook to all of your medical appointments. Advocate for yourself!!!
12. Dust off your 'faith' circle of support, now's the time to go even deeper.

Readers. As a writer of a blog I know just how much it means, having a comment written on a blog post. How about hopping over to Mandy's and leaving a comment of support? How about 'following' her blog in the sidebar? If you're a fellow blogger -- how about joining the linky and sharing your thoughts and insight? We can make a difference to each other. We can connect through the cloud, by parting the clouds. We can be part of the come-back. I bet it would mean a lot to Mandy. I know it would mean a lot to Mandy.

Today as everything in the NAEYC exhibit hall was winding down, a very caring participant from last night tracked me down in my booth. She came to express her appreciation for my candid emotions of last night. She told me that it's all together too easy to sit in the audience of the 'big performers' and assume that we are in the spotlight because we've lived an 'easy' life and have had no 'distractions' from our talents or 'disruptions' to our goals. She was grateful to know that both Mimi and I have battled through hardships and that she had no idea of any of that history, until I got choked up. She told me that my candid sharing gave her hope -- to know that we are in the business of "over-coming + triumphing" offered her encouragement.

I'm grateful for her insight and her taking the time to come share it. I'm grateful that Mandy has chosen to use her experience to help educate others in the very midst of her own personal challenge. Mandy will be a ray-of-hope to others as they face challenges. There-in lies the one silver lining of challenges..... that we are offered an opportunity to become 'real' to one another.

Now hop over to Mandy's and become real. Thanks.

Debbie