The Path Less Traveled Is Less Painful Today

Here we are on the evening of Passover, and it is also Good Friday.  It's Easter Weekend here in the U.S. as well.  Reflecting on these events happening this weekend, I wanted to update you on our teacher in Italy, whom I asked you to support last week in her deepest time of need.

First of all, thank you to all of you who took a moment to send her some positive thoughts.  Even if, when you read the post you thought, "that's awful," I want to thank you.  My wife was once asked if I am a religious person.  She quickly answered "no, but he is spiritual."  And I suspect that came out in my last blog post...I do think positive thoughts make a huge difference in life.

We received comments from around the world.  We received emails and phone calls of support.  Some from places I could not have imagined when I wrote the piece.

I have to share with you that our teacher was in Intensive Care (a term we use in America for a hospital ward with the most gravely ill patients) and she and her family had to take it a day at a time.

I remember talking to Lisa, who handles insurance matters in our office, and I simply could not hold back the tears.  Obviously I felt horrible for our teacher.  And I kept thinking about how devastated her host family was feeling, and about how the children in the family simply could not comprehend was was happening or how they would deal with all of this.  I felt all of this emotion for the host school and all of the students, who's world one-day was beautiful and exciting, and then next was uncertainty and not understanding how good things can go quickly wrong.  I felt horrible for her family here in the U.S. who would simply never think about Italy the same way again.

Today, as we start this amazing holiday weekend, I wanted to write and tell you that our teacher, after 10+ days of Intensive Care, has been moved into a regular hospital room.  The virus is responding to the medication and slowly leaving her body.  She still has a very serious bout of pneumonia.  So she is not totally out of the woods.  But each day there is small improvement.  Her host family has been to see her and have been able to touch her and speak with her, giving new meaning right now to Conversation Corps!

Thank you, each one of you, for your thoughts.  Your kind words.  Your support.  For your help, no matter how slight or far away. In banding together to mentally support this incredible woman and her family...immediate and hosting.

Have a wonderful weekend, no matter how you celebrate it.