On a recent visit to the oncologist (four years now), I was sitting in the lobby drinking that stuff that makes it possible to have one’s body scanned. It comes in a container and is a vanilla flavored concoction that must be divided into two portions. Drink part, wait, and then finish it. Support people are sitting around drinking coffee. Being a part of this always makes me realize how lucky I am and also scares me to think that at any time I could be right back at square one.
This time something magical happened. A young girl was making her way around the room. I noticed that some people followed her to a table while others shook their heads and stayed in their seats. It occurred to me that she might be selling something. When she approached me, she explained that I could come over to the table and paint. She said it was a paint by number painting, so I figured I didn’t have anything to lose. As we walked, she explained that all of the patients were being asked to do a part of the painting, and the completed work would be displayed in the new cancer building. I felt like a little kid again when we arrived at the table. The brushes were big and fat, and the colors were bright.
I chose green since it is my favorite color. The girl told me to look for the number 1, and I was delighted to find this tiny little circle that I could paint green. I also found a few other little spots to paint. I was careful and did the best I could.
The next time I go, I will get to see the whole painting. I feel honored to be a part of the project. It’s hard to understand, but the Sammons Cancer Center is a place where everyone is nice. We are all there together. People working there sing while processing your paperwork. There is no rudeness. There is no ugly.