Poem: The Girl With M.S.

We touch people. I did not wish to get cancer, and I would be quite happy to have never had that experience. But because of it, I am stronger. Because of it, I met and befriended other survivors. Okay, because of it, I tilt a bit more to the right, too. Get it?

Facebook is a weird creature. It can be addictive, mindless and a sounding board for the worst of who we as a society can be. But it also re-ignites old friendships, lets us know what other people are up to and introduces us to amazing, amazing individuals.

I met Jen and Pier on Facebook, and their raising of a young boy with autism is courageous and daunting and inspiring. Through them, I met Jamie. Jamie has M.S. She also has unyielding determination, fearless honesty, a depth of character few can match, a wonderful sense of humor, and a beautiful family.

Each day on the walls of Facebook, I read stories about her struggle with M.S., her silly moments with her husband, Tony, and her two children, and a constant stream of the most smile-inducing videos on the internet.

People who never give up, even when they are completely exhausted, are heroic figures. People who admit to their darkest moments, show us their struggles so we can be stronger through them, and who laugh and cry in a way that invites us to join them in all their emotions, are teachers, figurative Buddhas offering life lessons through their being nothing more than who they are.

So I was inspired. I wrote the poem below. Jamie has a blog called "Ugly Like Me," and wrote this to accompany the poem. Her words made me laugh and cry in the best ways; typical Jamie.

One thing Jamie does not know about me, and please, Jamie, when you read this, don't change what you wrote, is I have shared some of my cancer story. You can find my words here, here, here, and here. I do need to put more out into the world about my struggles with depression and anxiety; give me time. Poems on both can be found here and here.

Without further adieu, because we've had quite enough adieu, a poem:

The Girl With M.S.

The girl with M.S.

Is much more than that.

Narrow description,

One learns over time.

Still, introduction.

A place to begin.

The girl with M.S.

Inspires my own strength.

Smiles when faced with “life.”

Yet weakness revealed;

And that is okay.

The girl with M.S.

Teaches me courage.

Also, frailty;

Needing love’s support

Of family and

A community

And those she touches

With her charm, wisdom;

Goofiness, spirit

The girl with M.S.

Is much more than that.

The world can see her;

Learning bountiful,

Blessed principles;

Being someone with,

Or without, M.S.

Copyright SGW 2015