A Different Sort of Surprise

This evening, I got home after a very long day at the office for me--closing old cases, getting ready to transfer those that have not gone to hearing or trial to other attorneys who can handle them during my absence, which is still not really determined. And spending two hours in a meeting to deal with the problem client. I drove into my driveway, stepped out of the car and went to my p.o. box on the street to retrieve my mail. Now my front porch is small and you enter it from the side, so it was not until I was going up the stairs to my doorway that I saw that my porch seemed to be completely covered in white packages.

For more than ten years I have been in contact on the internet with a group of women attorneys from all around the United States. We have been there for each other through divorces, child rearing problems, pets, and health issues, just to mention a few topics of sometimes intense and spirited discussion. When my cancer was diagnosed, they were some of the first folks that I told. I put it in our weight loss files.

Well, almost immediately after that, it seems that they all got together and came up with a plan to each send me a charm with one woman (probably the ringleader--you are so great Mel!) sending me a bracelet to put the charms on so I can wear it while I go through my cancer treatment-- a visible symbol of their love and care. It was amazing and humbling to experience this. And although we have chatted regularly for over a decade, some of us have never met face to face! But through the years, via the internet we have become good friends.

In addition, there was a box of fresh Hawaiian papaya (didn't open the box til the morning after) from a dear friend in Honolulu there too.

What gifts. I am truly blessed. Thank you all.