"Stepping Out"

Yesterday was AIDS Walk Detroit, I have to admit that I myself do not know and have never known any one personally who has been affected by this epidemic. I have encountered patients here in the US and Africa, at the VA and at Beaumont, but have not been affect directly. So I guess I walked yesterday for those I have come in contact with, for my friends who have family members who are living with the disease and for those struggling but have no one supporting them. It was beautiful to see how Detroit came out and supported the cause it was nice to see the heart of Genesis out and about also loving the community. I am grateful to have been moved to be a part of this, as I easily could have been seen as an outsider who has no connection to the cause. The event seems to be a time for reflection, mourning and celebration for those past, living and fighting the disease. I was particularly moved by the quilt ceremony, OK not the ceremony it self since I am too short to have seen the opening of the quilts, but when people were allowed in to see the quilts. There were prayers and poems, memories and pictures. I was able to get a sense of who these people were and how important they were to their families and friends. I was moved by the age range and the decades that the disease has spanned. If you go to the AIDS Walk Detroit website I think you can find out more about the quilts, but basically they were started when the first cases resulted in death the bodies were prohibited to be buried, so quilts the size of a cemetery plot were created in memory of the person now the quilt is huge and travels to different locations in segments.
I spent the time walking with a teenager who used to attend Genesis when we were at the Music theater. I felt this tremendous sadness for her and love at the same time but I did not know what to do for her other then have keep me company while we walked. I feel that she is having trouble at home and school, I realized that I have certain convictions in how a teenager should behave but do not have skills in conveying this properly. We talked about music and she talked about boys, school and her parents, while I occasionally tried to interject God into the conversation. But after the walk I left down town feeling guilty, thinking did I give her what she needed at the time did I do what God wanted me to do? I don't know, I do know that I found myself somewhat annoyed at times that teenagers are strange and wondering was I this weird. Okay I was weird I just don't think I was vocal about it. The only thing I can think of is that the only adults I was around were family and of course I could not say or do weird things around them. I propose that all teens are this strange, it's like the tree in the woods if it falls and no one is around does still produce sound? Well if a teen is around but does not say anything are they still strange?
I hope to see this girl again and see how she is doing. Please pray for her safety and God's will in her life.

Healing

So either I am doing better and have gotten most of the crap that I needed to off my chest or I am feeling worse since I have not journaled or blogged lately. I have had some rough days, busy with work and school family and friends, continueing to heal from the not so recently ended relationship and dealing with the every days of that. I have done some writing at home, mostly poetry reflecting this relationship. I don't know how good this is for me but it is what it is. Any way I am looking forward to the fall, getting into the middle of the school term, enjoying the weather, Denise and Mike's wedding I can't wait to do the flowers. I am looking forwrd to the holidays, Yes, I know that it is early but I am really excited I have already bough two gifts.
I have hope that this season will be better for me that God has some great things happening in my life and is bringing people in and out of my life and it's great.

Water Drama

Oh it has been a while, I have had a busy week starting school on Friday and hanging with the family over the weekend. It was a beautiful weekend perfect for boating and jet skiing. It was warm and sunny the water was cool. However some of us were having issues with operating our jet ski's. Okay just my Dad and I. Never in 15 years have we ever had this type of weekend. Sure we have had days where the machines died or ran out of gas but my goodness, you would have thought we had never operated a jet ski before. It started when my father did a donut with my cousin's friend on the back but the girl did not correct herself to upright and ended up pulling my Dad of the machine; he however had failed to hook the safety to him. Needless to say the jet ski started to do circles around them. Then on Monday the best day to ride minimal traffic on the lake and the wakes and waves were prime for the jumping. Yikes did I biff it, I honestly can not recall what exactly happened, I remember seeing this awesome wake there were at least 3 waves, should have been great. I took the first jump, and opened my eyes to find myself up in the air vertical hanging on by one hand with searing pain in my left arm. Next I was in the water. What I have deduced to have happened is: I hit the first wave low and my body was forced forward against the steering column and my left arm, at this point I would have let the throttle go and close my eyes (this I have done before) but before the machine actually jumped and left the water the second wave came in and had to have caught the rear of the water craft, this is what sent me vertical (this I have never done before). I opened my yes looking down over the handle bars and as gravity never fails it pulled me down and my chin hit the column. I still have not figured out if I went straight down, but I feel like I did some kind of flip before I went under water. I have no idea where the jet ski landed, I know it was off to my right when I came up. No worries all is fine I am pretty bruised and sore still, I went to ER Monday night and Tuesday to be checked out and all is good I have a significant contusion of the ulnar side of my arm and a cervical strain that is resolving. I remember coming up out of the water thanking God that there were no boats and that it was not worse of a fall, looking for my father on his machine and swimming with one arm toward mine. Some how I managed to pull myself up on to the jet ski with both arms and ride a few more minutes. Are you kidding it was the last ride of the season and I biffed it early in I had to keep going until I could not hold the the handle bar any longer. Oh well there is always next year.