February
04
Wishes for the Pipers and Abbis
As I stepped into the Orlando airport from the jetway, my mind was full: I needed to get my bags first. When you travel to teach quilting, it’s always anxious until you see you two enormous bags of quilts on the baggage carousel. Then I needed to figure out where the rental car counter was and dig out the address of the place I’m staying. Oh and then I needed to make a quick stop for some food and then I saw it.
On the airport tram to baggage claim I noticed two sweet little girls, about 2 and 3 1/2 or so. It reminded me of when our daughter was that age. The girls seems very excited to have arrived in Florida and I expected they were here to visit a theme park. Then one of the women with them adjusted what was in her hands and I saw it. It was a folder from the Make A Wish foundation with a cover sheet that read in big cheerful letters: Piper and Family. One of those girls is Piper and Piper is fighting a life-threatening medical condition, because those are the only people who would have a folder like that. In my head I sat there thinking about that woman, Piper’s mom? How was she doing? What was the prognosis? A million questions raced through my head but mostly I thought of how devastating it would be to wake up each day with a child facing a life-threatening illness. And then I thought about our happy and healthy 13 year old. I found a quiet corner of the airport and with eyes welling up called Bill to say, “Can you imagine?!” Then I said a brief prayer for their family.
I got myself together and went to wait for my bags. But there was yet another family in bright blue Make a Wish t-shirts with a cheerful grandmotherly volunteer from Make a Wish who was helping Abbi, who must have been about 5, and his family with their bags.
I’m guessing that Piper and Abbi wished to go to Disney World but what I wish for them are great doctors and nurses, parents who feel supported by their communities and the comfort that God will show them what to do and how to do it. Oh Piper and Abbi, I hope your trip is just the best ever.
yes. it's my real name. 