All materialism and saccharine Hallmark greeting cards aside, the spirit of Valentine's Day is well-intended. What's so wrong with having a day for reflecting on who we love and demonstrating a little extra tenderness?
In honor of a more holistic idea of love, I'm getting closer to the $100 mystery (and realizing I wish I had A LOT more than $100 to give!). There has been a sudden spate of cancer in my little world, from Claire's passing last December to the recent news of a respected scholar and former colleague of mine struggling to pay for his pancreatic cancer treatments. How can I creatively give to those suffering from cancer in a way that is both personal to me and meaningful to those who receive the gift? How can my giving add a little love and joy to the world?
Big questions, but a possible answer: My mother-in-law, Claire, embodied selfless and resilient love. She passed away from lung cancer a couple months ago after a brutal 14-month battle. During her treatment at Kaiser Hospital in San Francisco, she met many other cancer patients (often kids and young adults) going through chemo and radiation. The waits and treatments were long and boring, often in a large room full of other cancer patients. Perhaps $100 worth of books, magazines, games and blankets to keep those in treatment warm and entertained, in honor of Claire? I'm off to call Kaiser today to see what they might need!
As for the colleague, Carlos Ivan Degregori, I'll give my own money to the fundraising effort for his treatment. I suggest you do, too. Not only is he in great need, but he has devoted his entire life to seeking justice as the head of Peru's Truth and Reconciliation Commission and is an inspirational embodiment of the way that love (of humanity, of human rights) can change the world.
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