Today my friend Jo and I visited my friend Margaret.   I’m using real names here because I have a feeling that neither of these women mind.

Margaret is two-years into living with stage-four cancer.    Margaret has been and is going through The Mill.  Aside from sharing that Margaret is an Episcopal priest and  has A Connection to The Holy and Honest, I won’t go into all of the details of her situation, but trust that she has much on Her Plate.

In the midst of our being present with Margaret, I simply asked her what would be the most helpful things we could offer today.  She said INK.  She’d promised a friend some bottled ink for a fountain pen and hadn’t done that yet.   Jo offered to go – right then – and get the ink.  She did:  Black, Lake Placid Blue and Purple Mojo.

While Jo was getting the ink, I was able to do a few other things Margaret wanted done.

We were grateful to help.   Mostly, we were grateful we got the ink.

I never cease to be amazed by how profoundly powerful the human spirit is.   Powerful in the asking and in the hearing.   In the midst of incredibly horrible stuff ~ it’s the finite, seemingly unimportant, easy-to-do-and-easy-to-miss stuff that matters.   We can’t cure cancer.   We can pay attention in the midst of it though.

I’m feeling In Awe tonight.  And I’m wondering what kind of Ink experiences you’ve had. I know you’ve had some…