9-1-1

In her usual manner, Julia posed question after question about my father's death to better understand what happened. As I tried to explain the events of the day as I best remembered them, she asked me in frustration, why didn't anyone call 9-1-1? And it occurred to me that 9-1-1 didn't exist back then. I thought that most likely an ambulance or a coronor's wagen came but that we didn't have 9-1-1. It came as a shock to me that things that have been created or invented are just taken for granted, as if these things were always available to us. How many other things have been created in our lifetimes that we just accept? I'm not talking the big obvious things like cell phones, the internet, video's but the small things like 9-1-1, trauma teams, EMTs - when and how did all of this come to be?

Interesting enough, the next night on ER, they had a character that played the man who invented the system and brought trauma teams in. I wondered how much of this was true but if there was one person who really started this, God bless him and every other person who comes up with these ideas.

Synchronosity

Is this how you spell it? Not sure. Thinking that this could be called mini-miracles or glimpses of faith. Do you ever put something out there in the universe or whatever you want to call it and it happens? Friend applied to graduate schools. Another friend not connected calls me to go to lunch (first time in 8 years), drives down to Foster City and at the end, when I ask her about her son, says he's now admissions director at one of the schools my other friend applied to and he sent me an email the very next day. And who put it out in the universe - was it me? was it the friend? I don't know. I just know that it happens. One time I thought in my mind, I just want to read a book about St. Francis that was not written by the Catholic Church, unbiased. That Sunday, the front page of the pink section in the Chronicle featured St. Francis and listed all books about him, and noted those books not written by the church. I was mystified but did buy and read one or more of the books. San Francisco, St. Francis. I was born in the city of St. Francis. How fitting, how miraculous.

God must have spent a little more time on you

Heard this old NSync song on the radio driving home tonight from Di's house and I remembered how when I first heard it, I thought it was so beautiful and it made me think of one of my sister-in-laws who I just had talked to on the phone.

At the time, I thought she was definitely one of those people that God had spent more time on but reflecting back on it now, I think that all of my sister-in-laws are people that God spent alittle more time on. Penny and the tremendous love she has for her family, Diane and her easygoing but loving ways, accepting everyone and being open to everyone - so admire that quality in her, Karen and her caring/giving ways to her family and friends, her ability to get in and do the work, the volunteering, whatever needs to be done and lastly Sherry, whom I've spent years meditating with. I don't know her as well but I do know one thing, my brothers have picked the most wonderful women in the world. I love them all so much and we in the family are fortunate to have these people that God spent more time on. These courageous women, mothers, sisters, friends, daughters, wives - they are truly the best.