Love Cancer and a Train Pt. 2 (Oprah Isn't All Bad)

I posted yesterday a blog about Kristian a man who recently discovered he had cancer. He made a touching video for his wife Rachel, for her birthday.

It was creative.

It was heartfelt.

It was inspiring.

One can only imagine the fear of passing before your wife and children.

I have known too many families where this is true.

This life is not easy and sometimes bad things happen to good people. Life is not simple. The more I try to make sense of it the more I am left with questions unanswered.

I have learned to not always ask why, but to ask how will this shape me?

Instead of trying to find an answer, find a way to help.

Say what you want about Oprah, the one thing I can say is that she gives back. She helps people. I do not care about her intentions of why, the fact of the matter is that she does, help. I respect that. She recently discovered this couple and there story...

Don't you just love their accents!

I do not have the funds to help people the way I want. Actually, this year I have found more people helping me out, especially since my family started this journey to plant a church. One day I would love to help people they way they have helped me. It would be awesome to have the resources to give back like Oprah.

I can however in the in-between do this; be more positive than negative.

To encourage.

To listen.

To consider others better than myself.

We live in a broken world, with broken people, it can feel like hell.

C.S. Lewis says it best,

"Taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long your are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature."

The best thing we can do as we wait for the other side of eternity,

is bring a little heaven here on earth in the little things we do every day.

Love Cancer and a Train

"Who so loves, believes the impossible." -Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Love seems to cure anything.

Cancer seems to kill anything.

And the hands that are held in the in-between hold on to anything.

I have recently heard a song that is love in four chords.

It makes me think of my wife and all the reasons of why I married her; while at the same time not mentioning any of those reasons. Except maybe some illusions to a cafe. And you know how I feel about coffee...err Starbucks.

My wife and I recently spent Valentines Day in Philly.
We had reservations at a charming French Restaurant, Amuse (you must go if you can it was amazing).

It was one of our most memorable and needed times we had to celebrate our love.

The place was right across from Love Park, and it truly is a love park. We saw a couple get engaged. The gentlemen got on one knee, (like how it is supposed to be done boys and girls) and she said Yes!

It was one of the most spontaneous things I have ever seen.

It was one of the most spiritual things I have ever seen.

Love changes us.

Love is most inspiring in the midst of challenges.
Maybe because it is the most pure during a time of being refined by the fire of trials.

I stumbled upon a video (literally, it wasn't even on said website) it is

about love, cancer, and a train.



Yes, I cried (in public even, because of course, I am at Starbucks).

Their story makes me want kiss my wife, and tell her I love her...again.

Hug my son and realize every day is a gift.

I am reminded that this life is a breath and sometimes we feel like we have all the time in the world.

The daily trials and worries of the day make us miss the value of 24 hours.

The value of the moments we share.

The value of believing in the impossible.

The value of love.

Today and every day.

The Girl, The Force, & The Car: 2 out of 3 Ain't Bad

Growing up I have always had a love for cars. I do not know if it is an Italian thing, a guy thing, or just a me thing.

Wherever I would go I would carry a small bag full of Matchbox and HotWheels cars.

I loved naming cars on the road and playing that game with my dad.

Cars capture my imagination.

When I was in my late teens early twenties there was one car, or should I say one commercial that left me spellbound.

The commercial was brilliant. The music told a story just as much as the images of a man or groom presumed to be late for his wedding.

Turns out he was late for a wedding but not his.

I do not know if I wanted to be the guy or wanted to drive that German automobile.

Even when I would cruise around in my little beaters (had a Dodge Horizon once in college, ouch) I always had an eye out for that particular VW and that brunette.

Well, turns out that commercial hit kind of close to home for me.

I got the girl...never really did get that silver Jetta.

Fast forward almost ten years.

Married to a brunette (even cuter than the one in the VW spot).

Still don't have a Jetta.

And another Volkswagen commercial captures my imagination... again.

It features a pint-size Darth Vader roaming the house using "The Force."

You never see the boys face under the mask, but I think that is the point.

Every time I watch this commercial I kept waiting for him to take off the mask and find my son's smiling face.

I want to be that Dad who comes home, arms wide open, waiting to see this son who he raised well on ways of The Force.

My son is only 12 months old. We haven't gotten to movies yet, but this commercial gives me a glimpse of what it might be like for Keane and I.

It's a clever spot with charm and wit by which the dad in one brilliant press of the button, not only starts the ignition, but starts a boys imagination.

Whether the ad men at VW intended this, but not only did they make a silver four door sedan seem cool, but a family of four as well.

I may never get that Volkswagen, but that's ok, I have someone just as cool.

Red

We all have a story,
But we hide the pen.

Lives as clean as the paper,
Impressions more than ink.

Pretending to pretend,
To hide what's inside.

What is true is different for you.

So many steps over looked,
Voices fade a face remains.

The snow reminds us of where we have been.

Time always turns into something new,
Memories lost in what is found.

A heart breaks but never makes a sound.




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad