While I Was Away II: Renee's Candle

ATrue Story of Community

On the Morning of August 23, a friend came to visit. When I opened the door, she looked at me and gasped.

"David," she said in suprise, "your eyes are all yellow. you better get to a doctor." I invted her in and asked that she have a seat. Thinking it might be a joke, I went into the bathroom and looked in mirror. She was RIGHT! Holy...um...SHIRT! So I got dressed to go out and immediately went to the Emergency Room. By the next day, I was told that I was to have a pancreatic biopsy and some kind of major surgery. The biopsy came back negative but the surgery went forward.

As I unpacked in my hospital room I began to realize I'd probably be sidelined for most of the campaign season. After all, I have as have all of us, been waiting since July of 2002 to see some concrete results in our efforts to take our country back. We all know that Howard Dean leads this Party, and the Democratic Leadership Council can kick and scream all it wants. Facts are facts. Howard Dean is at the helm and the lot of this community is cast to stand with him. Now was the time to see if our work, all of the progressive efforts from grassroots to netroots put enough feet on the ground to regain the Congress, and I wasn't gonna be there.

So I called my son, whom folks know as Conspiracy Secretary here in blogspace, and asked that he write to the blogs and let them know I'd be away for a while. Not long afterward, word reached Renee and Demitrius (of "Soylent Dean" fame) at Howard Empowered People and within what looks like less than an hour Renee had set up a Virtual Candle as a focus for the community to send positive energy, prayers and Compassionate feelings in my direction. Notices of the candle were posted by Renee to Firedoglake, My Left Wing, Blogforamerica, Booman Tribune and DailyKos.

After I came home from the hospital, I found a huge outpouring of thoughts and prayers from all over the progressive blogsphere. There were in time, over a hundred messages wishing me well and urging my return to work and good health. But for me it was more than just the words of support. While I was in the hospital, I felt many hearts in this wonderful community come together in Compassion and it filled my heart when I was feeling down.

It is just this sharing of Focused Compassion in action that drew me to Howard Dean's campaign way back in July of 2002. I knew if I put my heart into it, thousands of caring individuals would be doing the same with me, and it was true. While I was singing, Teri was working on the National Nurse Resolution, Linda was putting together a cookbook for the Harkin Steak Fry, Renee and Demitrius were doing graphics, and we were giving it all we could. We became a community, and when we gathered together from across the country and beyond, it was as if were gathered in Dean's living room.

Now in 2006, over the past month or so, the far flung community gathered together to pray for the Court Jester. I just want you all to know that I felt it, it sustained me and I was deeply moved by the outpouring. Click the title and see for yourselves.

May the Love that knows no Comprehension find refuge in your hearts and in your homes forever.

Namaste,

Subway