I read in yesterday’s Daily Good

about an artist and a mother,

named Rachel Callander,

who worked with hospitals

to change their wording

on their medical forms

from just what was broken in her child

to add, what they loved about this child,

what they enjoyed….

so that these beautiful things

would be part of their medical record.

And then I heard from a friend of mine

who’d also read this article

and contacted me about it.

My friend whose son had died.

And as I wrote back to her I realized that

I’d never had a chance to

say his name to her and to me at the same time

To allow the wonder of him to be with us.

Loving the children we don’t get to keep.

I spoke his beloved name

and such aliveness was with us.