April 22, 2009: Dear Anonymous Donor
Dear Donor:
Hi! May name is Haley Well. Since I haven’t yet heard from you, I thought that perhaps a) you are on vacation (europeans take wonderfully long ones, unlike us Americans) or b) you wish not to be thanked but rather go about your life. Of course I want to thank you! Of course my family wants to thank you, and all of my friends and doctors and nurses and therapists. But if you are afraid of being thanked, then don’t worry. I won’t let anyone do so. But I’d love to meet you. Until that time, here are a few things about me so far:
1. I love puppies. All kinds, all breeds. The crazier the better, since I’m a bit of a pistol myself.
2. I love matzo ball soup, particularly when it’s made with bacon.
3. I love peeka (peanut) butter. Straight out of the jar. With a spoon. No need for bread or jelly, it just complicates things. My mother can’t understand it, since she hates the stuff. I’m wondering if you are the pb lover andit’s passed down through my bone marrow.
4. Do you like potato chips? Cuz I love them. can’t get enough. I also like marshmallows and purple lollipops. Do you have a sweet tooth?
5. I like to giggle. Hence the title of myblog. I like to smile and make others smile.
6. I like my Bono-style red glasses, my blue recorder, and my black shiny shoes. They all make me extra spunky.
7. I love swinging on anything I can wrap my tiny little fingertips around. You can always tell if I’m swinging if you hear me say “weeeee!”
8. I love to cuddle, I love being hugged, and I love being tickled, especially by a spring breeze (they’re sooo ticklish!).
9. I stretch my hamstrings with my mom– we do the downward dog, and I’ll do anything with the word “dog” in it.
10. I love a lot of things, but if I don’t like something, I’ll make sure you know it.
11. I can’t jump very well, but I use words like “actually” and “lovely”, and I can almost draw a heart balloon all by myself.
12. In order of magnitude, I’m afraid of the following things: bubble gum, needles, red rubber dinosaur (which conveniently disappeared one day).
13. I cheer on the New York Yankees (baseball), Washington Capitals (hockey), and the Maryland Terps (college basketball). I also cheer on my older sister, Anna, when she needs a bit of encouragement.
14. I love to sing, though Anna says I’m quite off key. That of course just makes me sing louder.
15. I love keyboards, ipods, cellphones… anything with buttons I can push, particularly if they have consequences like lighting up or ringing. I once called Copenhagen. I don’t even know where that is. Anna says it’s a country in Africa.
16. My family and their friends are the best, absolute best, and they love me and take care of me. They know they’re in good with me if I touch their chin and call them “cute.”
17. I like to sing Kelly Clarkson songs in front of the mirror, strumming my guitar sticker.
18: Things I hope to navigate one day are stairs, a ten-foot wave, and the web. Right now, the stairs are the trickiest.
19. Things I’ve learned from some of my aunts and uncles: How to imitate a moose (lowi), which color is bad for poop (jojo), how to put on a bindi (d), which teams not to pick for my tournament bracket (pretty), which teams to pick for my bracket (yak).
20. The greatest things I’ve learned so far: Don’t worry until you have to; smile anyway; you don’t need to run fast to run for president; birds can’t fly backwards very well (key if you’re running away from them so they can’t get to your graham crackers).
Every night, I blow kisses to you through the dark starry sky. I hope you get them. And I hope you want to meet me as much as I want to meet you. If I meet you, I probably will hug you, though I promise not to thank you, if you don’t want to.
Love, Haley J
Aw! OK that was really cute. Except for the Kelly Clarkson bit: epic fail. But I’m going to assume your mom wrote that line.
April 21st, 2009 | #
dear donor — we’d all love to give you just a little shout out thank you — we hope to hear from you!
April 28th, 2009 | #
Dear Donor,
Your donation had the greatest effect on lovely Haley and her lovely family. But you also brought tremendous joy to a much wider community of all the people who are cheering for Haley, who will always root for her, and all the people she will touch during her lifetime — her classmates, Anna’s friends, her colleagues, her teammates, and the people she’ll smile at one day as she rides the bus. Maybe one day someone you love will be touched by Haley, as they meet on a train from Prague to Paris, or stand in the same line for ice cream in New York City.
All of us (and our numbers will grow and grow as Haley’s circle widens) are grateful for your gift.
April 28th, 2009 | #
Dear Donor,
There isn’t a more inspirational and cheerful toddler on this planet. You gotta meet her, and her really sweet family.
If that doesn’t interest you… are you competitive? Haley will challenge you to a race “On your market – set – GOOOO!” If she beats you she’ll say, “I win!” But if you do, she’ll explain, “No! We ALL win.”
April 29th, 2009 | #
you like peanut butter out of the jar too?! it’s my favorite. sometimes tiff will let me have some of hers, but mike doesn’t like the smell. maybe we can have a peanut butter party next time you come to old town. i’m so happy when you come to see me. you brighten up my whole day. i can’t wait to kiss your nose.
see you soon!
hugs and woofs,
charlie
ps: don’t forget to bring your peanut butter spoon!
April 29th, 2009 | #
dear donor,
when haley navigates her first ten foot wave it will be for two reasons:
1. her contagiously positive attitude.
2. your amazing gift that allows her thrive, enjoy life, and follow her dreams (whatever they turn out to be).
thank you!
April 29th, 2009 | #