Nick and I went to see the movie yesterday starting Will Smith. Mostly because of the blog and loop talk I’d read about the movie. I think that I need to see the movies that have to do with transplants, and heart transplants in particular because I might be asked about the material and I want to give an honest answer. So off we went, just the two of us in the middle of the day. 

I thought the movie was good, as Nick said, “When does Will Smith make a bad one? ” I would never agree to suicide, but the concept made for an interesting movie. Overall the movie did do a better job of getting the organ transplant process correct. There were many twist and turns in the first part of the movie which might put someone off who didn’t understand what was happening. The movie was great at telling and showing now important a life giving transplant can be. For our family it gave us a baby, child, a teen and now an adult.

I asked Nick what he thought about the movie, and he said, “It puts a bigger perspective on his life.” As a parent I can tell him the importance of sharing the importance of a heart transplant. But because he has lived with one almost all his life, seeing it in film gave him idea of what it can be like to wait for a transplant, hope for one . He doesn’t remember that time in his life, but I can assure you that his dad and I do. Well.

On the way home he asked me how I acted when the beeper went off. I told him the story. He’d heard it before, but this time I believe really “heard” it this time. He’s not read “Nick’s New Heart” yet, may never. I’m not sure I’d read about myself either.

By the way, 7 Pounds is for the number of people one person can save by donating their organs-1 heart, 2 lungs, 2 kidney, 1-panaceas and 1-liver. The pound comes giving a ”pound of flesh” when someone has been hurt by another. Kind of a pay back, much like the eye for an eye concept. The number seven has another meaning as well in the movie. Let me know if you can tell me what it is?

Go see 7 Pounds and let me know what you thought of it.       

It is the end of the year and I start looking back at what I have done. It has been a big year for me, biggest maybe. I had a book released. No small feat. But what I like best is that I’m proud of my book. I have a wonderful cover and have been told by more than one person that they thought is was good a read. I want have a book out this next year, but I have big plans for the next. I’m not done yet. I have more books in me. 

Jesus is the reason for the season.

A friend of mine and I filled in two empty slots on a senior group bus trip at my mother’s church to Opryland Hotel. I will admit that I did feel young, but I had a wonderful time. I got to reconnect with a friend for a few days, and sometimes it is nice to just go somewhere and not have to think about what you are going to do. Having things planned out for you can have its pluses. We attend the Rockets Christmas show, which is a must see. I even plan to take my whole family (five male, by then) next year. It was a great show. The live nativity scene is amazing. We spent a day at the Opryland hotel  and shopping. The Hotel is decorated in lights and a great place to get lost. Which is something easy to do there. The next night we attend Louise Mandrel’s Christmas program. She did a wonderful job and made me think I needed to take better care of myself. We are about the same age and if someone flipped me over their back I would be doing good to come up again. The morning we headed home we saw ICE, which is ice sculptors of the Grinch and the Nativity scene. It was fun to watch the people with me act like kids when they rode down the ice slide. I had a great time and I hope to travel with this great group again sometime soon.     

Each year I buy a real tree for Christmas tree from Mr. Finnengan’s at Finnengan’s Fine Furs, on Cherry Valley Road, in Bethlehem, NH. The name of the tree farm and the address gives you a hint to how wonderful my tree is each year. For some, those that live around Mr. Finnengan that may not be as big a deal to get a tree from him, but for our family it is because we live in Georgia. Our tree comes by UPS in a seven foot box. I’ve been getting our Christmas tree for over 10 years this way.

With the help of scissors, I pull the box apart releasing the heavenly smell of the fresh outdoors. The fresh fir is the smell of Christmas to me. Some people think fresh baked cookies are what Christmas smells like, while other think it is their grandmothers dinner, but for me it is that New Hampshire smell. I put my face into the center of the tree and take a deep breath. Oh yeah, that it the smell of Christmas.