Make a Wish

Chris's company is a big sponsor of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and today we had the opportunity to be a small part of a girl's Wish. She had asked for a shopping spree at the Mall of America so there was a group of us that went and met her limo as she and her family arrived, holding up signs and cheering as she walked down a "red carpet" into the mall.

It was a nice thing to be a part of, in the sense that I think we helped her feel special. I don't know for sure what condition led to her being a recipient of a Wish but I believe it may have been cancer of some variety. The girl in question didn't look particularly ill, although she did seem to have developed a self-deprecating humor that I imagine deflects some of the attention her illness attracts. Mostly, I found myself studying the girl's mom. I guess I was just looking for some outward signs of what it must be like to have a child with a chronic, possibly terminal illness. She didn't look overtly stressed out, but she looked thin and her clothing looked too big - like maybe it had been purchased in a different, happier time. Her nails were bitten to the quick, something I probably noticed because picking at nails and cuticles is one of my go-to stress habits. 

Anyway, I'm glad we went and were able to show this girl and her family that people care about her and wanted her to have a nice day. I can't think too much about it though, or I just get sad.