Courage

To: Everyone@familiesoffana.org...
Reading and instilling a love for reading in Nick & Corinne is important to me. Employing most any subject that they find captivating drives the choice of books. Due to the overwhelming interest in the Harry Potter series, I was hopeful to satisfy my own curiosity, that Nick would find an interest. I was happy to find that he is. [Do ask him about dementors; he loves reenactment using his sister as victim...]

Prior to embarking upon the orphaned Harry's journey through adolescence, I was keenly aware of a special group of the devoted readership that made pilgrimages to meet the author: terminally or very ill children and their mothers. As I read the first book, I was tuned in to discovering what aspect of the book was so emotionally relevant to these mothers. I waited until the closing chapter and that aspect blasted out of the page and in an instant, all was understood. The point was not the entire plot or even a chapter, but a small paragraph.

[Slight spoiler here...] Harry asks his headmaster and wisest of all wizards why Voldermort, the embodiment of pure evil, cannot harm him in the way that he has harmed or kill others, including his parents. Dumbledore, the headmaster replied:

"'Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leave its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. ... It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good.'" Chapter 17, pg. 216

No mother of an ill child can escape a fervent wish to trade places. But, my reading of that same passage to my very heathy son had its own emotional wallop for a completely different reason.

At Saturday's Gala Diner, there were at least 4 poster boards placed in the hallway leading from the diner to the auction depicting Faith, Hope, Love and Courage. I commend inclusion of 'Courage'. Participating in the FANA experience is a reward that has many facets, but the support of Hogar Margarita is the facet I find unique among agencies, it was the deal sealer when we considered FANA and it may always be the facet for which I am most proud in being a member.

We emphasize our fundraising for the children. But, as Mercedes emphasized Saturday evening, it is the courageous that come to her doors that need our continued support and need our prayers that the life affirming and saving grace bestowing upon us in the green room may some day touch those who "loved so deeply".

I would like to ask if the 'Courage' image could somehow be sent onto me and, perhaps be considered for La Hoja.

Kind Regards,
Greg K