Trail rides, wildflowers, sand bar, family, fresh squash, fried green tomatoes, camp fire. Georgia.
Leukemia didn’t bother us much today in the pine flatwoods. Benji has taken his medicine easily and without consequence. The boys and their sweet cousin tested out the water slide for tomorrow’s family reunion, and Benji went down on his belly once. He didn’t like the feeling of the slide against the skin that covers his port. He said it felt like stinging. It was feet first from then on, but with a huge smile on his face.
It was actually Banyan who gave us the scare of the day with a gash in his leg. It’s been an interesting exercise to care for Banyan during his few times of physical crisis since Benji’s diagnosis. Although his injuries and maladies seem pale in comparison to The C Word, my sympathy runs deep. I think it’s hard for him to navigate his own pain throughout this time in his life. He does a fine job.
As I was doctoring up Banyan’s leg, he caught a glimpse of a photo of the four of us from  Thanksgiving 2014. He said that none of us really looked content, except for me. I wrestled with my silence as he said it, staring at Benji’s photographed face. It’s so obvious now that he had leukemia then, but of course I didn’t know it. Content is an unsettling idea.
Tomorrow we will celebrate family at a reunion in honor of Michael’s amazing grandmother. As always, it’s an honor to be here, in this magical place.