Of iPads And iDentities

Wish: /wiSH/ noun – “a desire or hope for something to happen“

Before Chase had cancer, I saw the role of wish-granting organizations as that of giving an extra special gift to a person going through an extra horrible season. And that is a true perspective, but it’s also only a part.

For, the farther into and through the cancer journey we travel, the more I come to see wish-granting as a way to be known. The wish is often fantastic and above and beyond the every day, but the heart of it says this:

“I see you. You are known. What you are going through takes extra from you, and so here is some extra back, oh, and by the way, you’re pretty awesome and we’re only too happy to make much of your bravery in the ways that we can.”

Last week, Cal’s Angels, a local childhood cancer organization, partnered with the incredible Abt Electronics, one of the largest independent retailers of electronics and appliances, to bring Chase and his siblings just such a wish. The heart of Chase in these days is feeling his “otherness”, so we talked with him and hatched a plan to let him, the frequent receiver, the all too often powerless one, become the strong giver as he presented gifts to all of his siblings. He was thrilled to be in charge. (shocking, right?)

Chase has had a tablet of some kind in his hands (generous and given always – oh, the stories I could tell you some day…) since the time he was first diagnosed, but last week, thanks to the generosity of Abt and the heart of Cal’s, Chase was able to put brand new iPads into the hands of his siblings. And their first group text to one another was from Chase:

“I love you so much.”

The electronics are a dream (Abt and Cal’s also gave Chase an amazing iPod touch with headphones for hard hospital days where the music calms his soul), the special dinner and tour of the Abt facility was breath-taking (Chase could have spent all night in the security room watching the wall of screened footage alone), but I think the true heart of the loveliness was this:

Each of my children walked away from that night last week feeling better and more known; more secure in family and love. They were surrounded by Cal’s family, made new Abt family, and even solidified their ties with each other.

A wish is precious.

To feel known and loved is priceless.

**All our love and thanks to the Cal’s Angels family for seeing a need and meeting it, and special, incredible thanks to the Abt Electronics family for taking us in and being so awesome.**

For more information on the work of Cal’s Angels, click here.

For more information on Abt Electronics and to see their incredible facility, click here.

Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14