Top of the Second

OPTIMISM. HOPE. Two ideas I have been clinging to lately.  I find myself glued to the Olympics this year.  Whether the athlete is an American or not the reactions of the winner when their flag is raised and their anthem is sung is indescribable (literally - I left this blank until I finished the entry and I still couldn't find a word).  Being able to witness someone's life-long dream come true exudes hope to anyone that watches. 

I don't know about you all but with the recent tragedies going on around us I find myself craving anything good in our world.  The Olympics satisfies the craving of hope, and last night I watched Curiosity fall from the sky and successfully land on mars.  To watch the cheers, hugs, high fives and tears from the NASA team, who waited in anticipation for a successful landing, was an incredible moment for our country.  The Curiosity was originally suppose to cost $1.6 billion and was suppose to launch in the fall of 2009, but technical hurdles forced this mission to wait 2 years until Mars and Earth lined up in proper position.  Leaving many to doubt the competency of our space program. At 10:32 PM on August 5, Alex Chen, an engineer in the control room, silenced the doubters when he said, "Touchdown confirmed".  I fell asleep last night with renewed optimism.

In the following weeks, we enter the 'unknown' phase of my brother's diagnosis.  We meet with his oncologist for the first time to learn of his 'treatment plan', he gets a PET scan to see if the cancer is anywhere else, and he is still recovering from a major surgery with the possibilities of more complications.  The unknown phase is certainly uncomfortable but I'm grateful for the Olympians for showing me hope and the Curiosity for showing me optimism.  


I was reading the New York Times this morning and this quote about the Curiosity landing stuck out to me...

"We have ended one phase of the mission much to our enjoyment," mission manager Mike Watkins said. "But another part has just begun."

It perfectly describes where we are with Larry's cancer journey.  We are grateful that his emergency surgery was successful - tumors are out, and connection has held.  But we're at the top of the second..no outs. no one on. and Larry Matson, the All-Star, steps up to the plate.

Sox it to it Lar...