"I
am beginning to
learn that it is the sweet,
simple things of life which are the real ones after
all."
~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
Dear Andrew,
On this day, your celebrated birthday, I
will
remember all the times that you touched my life. It
seems strange for me to say, but there were times
that I could feel an
angel with me, even during the hardest moments in my
life. I use my
imagination and see what is there, and know that
you
inspired some of my most positive emotions and
feelings. It would seem
odd when I look out at the real world, but
yet at
the same time I want to see it in the same loving
way you do. In the same
way that God would.
I am blessed by the gifts of inspiration
and
joy that I have received. I
am blessed in
the knowing that all the things I have done are
significant, even those
things that have never been acknowledged by my
peers. You live in our
hearts even though we know that you were
born in
someone else’s idea of what an angel is.
You remain a symbol and a reminder of the
love
of God that enhances, enfolds and encompasses each
and every one of us.
On this day that we celebrate that
inspiration.
Namasté & Love,
Yvette
Hi all,
I decided that
since this
was our third celebration of Andrew's
birthday, may be it was about time I say why this is a
JABB
"holiday." So here goes...
To be honest, I'm not quite sure when it popped into my
head. I
first mentioned the idea in JABB
121
and then announced it as a JABB holiday in JABB
122.
I'd chosen September 20th to coincide with when TBAA
would generally
premiere for those of us lucky enough to get it
first-run. I
figured this way late September might still hold some
TBAA-themed
excitement for us. The first Andrew's Birthday
issue was JABB
146
which recounted a party in Dyeland. JABB
173,
sent while I was on hiatus, also covered Andrew's
birthday celebration
in Dyeland. That time the story was recounted in
two newspaper
articles. Then this year I wrote yet another Dyeland-set
story
and then let Lady JenniAnn wreck havoc on another
part. But I
don't want to give the impression that I think Andrew's
birthday is
only important in our lil imaginary world. Because
I firmly
believe it's important in real life, too. Here's
why...
Once upon a time in 2004, I had a discussion with a
then-friend.
I really don't remember much of the discussion. It
involved
Andrew's influence in our lives, that much I know.
At some point
this
woman uttered the words "He's not always going to be
with you." I
guess she meant he won't always be the influence he is
now. He
wouldn't be "real" to me. That one day I wouldn't
care.
I'll admit my initial reaction was to nod. But
only
minutes or may be seconds later, I realized how truly
wrong her words
were. Why the heck should I let someone that good
and that gentle
and that loving go??? Oh sure, he's not really
*real.* I
can't
call him up. I can't even send Andrew a birthday
card
today. But he is important. And his
influence IS real.
I pray he remains with me the same way the Skin Horse in
The Velveteen Rabbit
has. The
Skin Horse
taught me not to fear change and growth and love.
I hope he stays with me the way Beauty has. She
taught me that
even Beasts can be worth getting to know.
And just as Dorothy made me realize that there's no
place like home,
Andrew helped me to realize that really there's nothing
to fear about
going Home when the time comes.
Fact is, fictional characters have long made an impact
on our
lives. Just because Andrew isn't literally real
doesn't mean that
what he taught us isn't or that what and Who he stood
for isn't.
So I say celebrate his birthday! Celebrate what
Andrew means to
you. Celebrate the friends you made because of
him. Drink a
glass of ginger ale and orange juice. And remember
what Andrew
and his friends always told us... God loves you!
God bless,
Jenni
You can read the
other JABB 201 pages here
and here.
JABB
TOC
(Photo Credits: The photograph used on this page is from
"Touched by an
Angel" and owned by CBS Productions, Caroline
Productions, and Moon
Water Productions. It is not being used to seek
profit.)
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