Bravery

Today I am grateful for bravery.  It is obvious to everyone that firefighters, police, soldiers, etc. are brave.  But there are so many more among us who are brave, but we hardly notice.

We made lifelong friends when we lived in Jakarta, Indonesia and two of them, Linda and Christopher James, are currently visiting us from Williamsburg, Virginia.  Plans were made a while ago and then yet another winter storm threatened to interfere.  Grrrr.  So they took the train.  Yeah!

We picked them up from 30th Street Station yesterday, headed to lunch at a great restaurant, Farmicia’s, in Old Town, Philly and then went to the matinee of The Calamarie Sisters.  At lunch, Linda, told us how important the Calamarie Sisters had been to her during her recent bout with chemo.  Sitting at the restaurant, the soft peach fuzz on her head, picking up the shimmer of the neon lights, she said, “I watched them on my computer while I was getting chemo and laughed.”  Wow!

I’m happy to say I don’t know much about chemotherapy and I hope I never have to learn.  But I can imagine that it’s scary and annoying and frustrating to need this process.  Who wants to hear about percentages of those who survive when you know that the other percentage did not?  This is heavy stuff.  Not for sissies.

I wondered when we were walking out of another great show by The Calamarie Sisters, whether Linda would try to speak to them as they posed for pictures.  Even if your fuzzy head betrays you first, choosing to go public about an illness is brave.  Soon I was holding her purse as she tried to insinuate herself to the front of the crowd.  Maybe it was the red coat, or the look of determination on her face, or the peach fuzz, but the crowd seemed to naturally part for her.  A woman with the “sisters” said, “Anybody else?  Who’s next?” as she passed a camera back to someone.  Even though now at the front of the crowd, I could sense her hesitating for a moment.  Move forward or step back?  Bravery emanated from her as she stepped forward, grabbed Delphine’s hand and told them her story, tears betraying this moment of bravery.

“You saved me.” She said. The character Delphine had a questioning look.  “When I was getting chemo in fall I watched your weekly posts.  I laughed and laughed.  That laughter saved me during chemo.”  Delphine and Carmella, both teared-up.  So did those in the crowd close enough to hear her.  Others in back wondered what was going on so I shared my brave friend’s story.  Not a dry eye in the house.

Readers Digest already knows that Laughter is the Best Medicine, but do any of us realize the impact that laughter. . .and bravery have in our lives until we really witness it first hand?  Probably not.  And yes, Linda gave her permission for me to use her name and photo. . .because that’s how brave she really is!