[Blaine, this is meant as a tribute to you and your magic. If this in anyway discomfits you then i won't email nor post it.]

subject: he said, "what i'm most scared of is...

"Integrity is the essence of everything successful."
--R. Buckminster Fuller


My Fellow Reader,

when i loose faith in the power of focus...

...the Universe has a way of sending me a message i can't ignore.

Just before JV Alert, i learned that a dear friend Blaine had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease.

not good is the kind of understatement that might help some people get angry

i don't mean to be dismissive of the severity of Hodgkin's Disease

my point is... How The Universe Reminds Me Of My Faith

I visited Blaine and his wife Tresha
last weekend, Friday to Sunday...

The fact that i'm writing about this now
is simply testament to how backed-up
my writing has been and how important
this story is that i have to document that
this stuff really happens

WHAT HAPPENED WITH BLAINE...

He had said
four separate times...
Blaine ==> "What i'm most scared of IS HITTING A DEER."

For a man with Hodgkin's I see him
as brave that his biggest fear
is Hitting a Deer.

Blaine and I went for a Sunday drive
in his Lotus. It is a sweet car that corners
like it is on rails and yet weighs as little
as possible--> we're in a fast but fragile car.

A fast and fragile car worked in the deer's favor.

We were heading home, just passing through
an intersection when a fawn leaped out
in front of Blaine's car.

The brakes screech,
we hit the deer.

I see the young deer
do a summersault
up-in-the-air and over
the front of the car.

Blaine is sobbing, having just manifested
his biggest fear.

He re-comports himself quickly and says...

"Let's get out and see if it's ok."

i said, "It isn't ok. And, let's get out and see
what we can do."

Blaine nodded.

what we saw astounded us...

THE DEER WASN'T THERE.

Forgive me for going astray as i write
this... but i just got back from a smoke break
where i saw a deaf woman wearing a Tshirt
that read: "Stop Audism"

I love it.

This deaf woman walking down the street
of Brattleboro, Vermont was an XMan...

She is seeing her mutation as an advantage.

The person I moved to Brattleboro to mentor
is Tellman Knudson who had more wrong with
him growing up then most people could navigate.

Tellman discovered strategies for himself
to turn his weaknesses into strengths and
i see this in The XMen and in the deaf
woman who was just walking down
the street. The Universe gave us a hand
to play and she is playing it with panache.

Good for her!

BACK TO THE DEER...

...when we got out of Blaine's Lotus and looked
in the middle of the street there wasn't the carcass
i was expecting to see.

NOTHING.

The road was empty and there was no blood.

Blaine spotted the fawn off the road on the side
of the small hill. Blaine pointed to the young deer.
She looked at us all doe eyed but alert.

She then popped-up on her feet and trotted-off.

She was fine.

Being with Blaine on that drive was inspiring.
I have never seen somebody face their worst fear
with more grace or panache.

I admire you Blaine.

I admire you in many ways.

Much LOVE to you and Tresha!

23 hugs.

Your friend,

Ben