Walking Spirit

Last Friday's concert was fantastic! We were treated to a beautiful mix of vocal and instrumental performances at Broad Ripple High School. The three Grad students from Michigan, Joey, Nicole, Nick, and the students from Broad Ripple really poured their talent and passion into this concert. The concert was the idea of Dot Odonell, who has directed her energy towards helping others her entire life. She is a person who truly believes in the "Pay It Forward" concept. (This is a movie I've never seen but, I get the concept.)

The concert was very well attended and gave me an opportunity to visit with people I haven't seen in a long time, as well as giving me a trip down memory lane. It's so strange to think that it was all for me. However, Joey, Dot, Nicole, Nick, and several others kept thanking me for the opportunity to be a part of something so positive. I almost feel guilty accepting their thanks when what they have done is going to help me so much.

Dot took a cause and an idea and, with the assistance of a group of caring people with a variety of skills (many of whom I do not know well, if at all), managed to create an entertaining evening that was a huge success. Maureen Cornelius, Kathy Berg, Rebecca Tuttle, and Mary Lowe, have done the same thing with the Cook Book (which is continuing to gain popularity). Betty Danner and Lynn Wilson hosted and supplied a clothing sale to raise funds, which, I'm told was a huge success as well. (I don't know because it was a girly thing and I don't believe I was invited.) This Saturday Pilate's with John is having a benefit class at 9am as well as selling Cook Books daily.

I'm constantly in awe of the number of people who have donated their time, energy, money, and emotional support to me over the last year and a half. The list of people and benefit projects above doesn't come close to covering all the support that I've received. When I was called up on the stage at the end of the performance I had several things I wanted to say. A large part of my plan was to thank everyone. Fortunately I was called up early and, instead of delivering what would have sounded like an academy award acceptance speech, I lost my train of thought and decided to wing it.

There was one thing that I tried to convey, but feel didn't come out the way I wanted it to:

Shortly after I moved from the hospital to my parents house, one night after my Dad and Uncle had carried me up the stairs to my bedroom, I lay on my bed with tears in my eyes and told my father that (before the accident) I had been happier than I had been in a long time and that now the world had become cold and hard and I felt as if I would never be happy again. As I've talked about the positive things that have happened over the past year I've also tried to express my gratitude to the different players in this ongoing story. It's the kindness, caring, and generosity that all of you have shown that has brought the happiness back and made the world warm and gentle again.

Here I am losing my train of thought again. What I wanted to convey tonight is that I want to give credit where credit is due but, since there is so much credit to give to so many people, I'm bound to forget someone. So, know how much I appreciate all of you.