UNTIL I SAY GOODBYE

Reading on my iPad

UNTIL I SAY GOODBYE by Susan Spencer-Wendel.

A beautiful, wonderfully written book

that I can barely put down and at the same time,

can't read too much at once for the memories it brings to mind.

You see, the book is written by Susan Spencer-Wendel,

who has ALS, Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Having lost a dear friend, Gina and a man

that was like a father to me growing up, Mr. Charles

to this dreaded disease, it's hard to read too much at a time.

Oh but what she teaches about grace, acceptance in her book

is phenomenal. 

"...ALS STRIKES IN THE MIDDLE OF PARADISE.

ALS CUTS DOWN A FAMOUS BASEBALL PLAYER,

AN OLDER MAN, A SON, A DAUGHTER, A MOTHER

IN THE PRIME OF LIFE.

I HAD ACCEPTED. I WOULD MOVE ON...

OFF THE BOAT, AND INTO THE ARMS OF MY FRIENDS.

What a beautiful acceptance speech. It is exactly what

my two dear people did, accepted the fate.

She is a writer and an article of her disease was published in 

a newspaper her mother had many copies.

A friend of hers was mentioned in the article

so when that friend visited, Susan's mother handed him 

a copy of the article and said,

"GIVE THIS TO YOUR MOTHER...

NOT TO ANYONE: TO YOUR MOTHER.."

Then she writes the most beautiful words of a Mothers love,

"... BECAUSE YOUR MOTHER IS THE PERSON WHO LOVES YOU.

WHO HAS ALWAYS LOVED YOU. 

WHO IS PROUD OF YOU, EVEN

IF SHE KEEPS THOSE FEELINGS LOCKED AWAY IN 

A DRAWER. I TOOK MANY JOURNEYS OVER THE

COURSE OF A YEAR WITH PEOPLE I LOVE.

I NEVER CONSIDERED A JOURNEY WITH MOM.

RATHER, I TRAVELED THREE THOUSAND

MILES.... AND FOUND PEACE WITH THE

PERSON WHO HAD BEEN ONE MILE AWAY 

ALL ALONG."

So very beautiful. 

It is a book I will purchase in hard copy for my 

library I am building.