Repair Job

One of the more popular verses in scripture, especially around hospitals, is Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Several times the last few years, Dori came across this verse randomly. John, our good friend from Ohio, loves the verse; a few years ago, he sent Dori a colorful plate with the words inscribed. She liked the gift very much and hung it on our kitchen wall. It's been there since, until a few days ago when Dori, a bit groggy from a week's worth of vidaza treatments, clipped the plate as she was putting on her robe. I heard it crash and break.

I'm generally not superstitious, but tossing the shattered plate wasn't an option. This weekend, I've been working patiently with Gorilla Glue to assemble the broken pieces. It isn't going to fit perfectly, but it will be on our wall again soon, an important symbol of hopeful words that have helped carry Dori this far. She thanked me this morning, recognizing the meaning of what I was doing.

Like the plate, we've been slowly reassembling the pieces of our lives. We will never be the same, but in many ways, better. Just like the plate. It may not look like something you'd buy now in a store. But it's our plate, and we love it where it is.

I played Friday in the annual parent-student basketball game at our kids' school. It's an event I enjoy very much, especially with Kathryn now old enough to play for the girls' team. She played well against the moms. This was the first year the 7th-8th grade boys' team gave the dads a game. We had to work to hang with them, with mixed results in two quarters of play.

My lack of conditioning showed toward the end of play. Early on, I scored three baskets and pulled some rebounds, but at the end of the last quarter threw up an airball and dropped a pass for an easy lay-up. My legs felt like rubber when I tried to set my feet.

Kathryn came up to me after the game, and said, "Daddy!" I knew what she was saying. "What was that?" I encouraged her to remember the earlier plays, but knew she wouldn't. Thankfully, I recovered enough to run five miles this morning. At age 45, I accept I'm not what I used to be on a basketball court, but I'm in good enough shape to enjoy this time in my life, which is important to me.