finding joy

my friend wynne and i met in 2007 at a retreat in las vegas for young women with metastatic breast cancer. sponsored by young survival coalition, it was the first such activity ysc did for women with mets. (it happened during the same week elizabeth edwards was diagnosed with mets and people magazine interviewed me in a sidebar article.)

those who attended the retreat laughed and cried together. strangers at first, we bonded quickly and started our own list serv after we went home.

wynne came to seattle about a year ago and we reconnected. we've been in e-touch ever since and read one another's blogs to stay tuned. she's back in the hospital again and found a piano available for patients' use. (now that's a hospital!)

this video, of wynne warming up and playing her beloved chopin, brought tears to my eyes. it's so easy to be lost in one's own pain and can be so hard to find joy. wynne's playing reminded me how grateful i am that i can still dance a bit, sing with my choir, dunava, and lead services at synagogue. that's where i find my joy.

so i am going to sing my heart out tonight when dunava performs at the radost folk ensemble fundraiser. and do the same next weekend when we have our annual spring concert.

if you find joy in the little things, you will always be surrounded by joy.