Music and Miracles

We brought our own inspiration to Rochester yesterday, packed her into the passenger seat and enjoyed her chatty commentary.

But, had we needed it (and who doesn’t?) we would have found inspiration in every corner of Mayo Clinic. You see it on faces, smell it in the fresh air and hear it reverberating through every hallway.

Someone always plays the grand piano in the Gonda Building Hallway and, among the frantic bustles, people always stop to listen.

People greet each other sincerely in Rochester because no one has the time, or the inclination for pretense. If they’ve found hope, they work hard to share it.

Music and Miracles. We’ve enjoyed them every trip we’ve made.

As we sat with my sister Kathy waiting for her to be called into her chemo treatment, a lively woman complimented our shoes. What followed was as life-affirming a conversation as I’ve ever heard.

Three women, all long-time cancer patients, compared treatments, protocol, side effects and remedies.

“Gotta go,” said one of them cheerfully as her name was called and she headed back to a treatment suite. She grabbed a sketch book and headed for the door. “I have lots of art to create and I’d better get going.”

We wished them all good luck and then, wearing our new shoes, my mom and I headed off on our familiar trek to light a candle for my sister Kathy and to visit every place of worship we can find to pray for a long and happy life for all our family members, particularly the one we left behind in the Gonda building.

Consider this a big ole thank you note to Mayo Clinic, for it’s research, treatment, atmosphere, and hope.