Love

My friend S is with me this trip. He’s retired and doesn’t have to save up vacation time to be with me, so we flew down here in the middle of the day. We had time to have dinner with two of my friends from St. George’s. R and D had us over to D’s house, and they fed us with food and love.

We sat on the back porch, eating shrimp and tomatoes (with garlic and capers, yum), grilled chicken and zucchini, and salad. Dessert was grilled peaches and apricots, and homemade ice cream. We watched the finches in the yard, and we all just talked. We were outside. I wasn’t in a hospital gown; wasn’t tethered to an IV pole. I look and act as healthy as anyone’s ever seen me. I didn’t feel like a cancer patient. We all got to be together as human beings. We talked about church, what calls each of us, what we all do in the rest of our lives, retreats. Everything. We acted like old friends. We just got to be.

Two of their church friends brought us muffins for breakfast. They couldn’t stay for dinner, but they said they’d come visit me.

I called A and put her on speaker phone. I had to bring her to the party!

Cancer is hideous. But I get to meet the most amazing people. They know how rough this is on me—knew it before they met me—and their response is food and love.

They sent us home to the motel with leftovers, and a blanket for when I get cold. I feel ready for tomorrow.

They get it. This is how to do community. This is the reign of God.