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MESSAGES RECEIVED FROM AROUND THE WORLD
BEFORE AND AFTER BILL'S PASSING
Oh Aunty Joan, this is all too much.
My thoughts are totally with you. Aunty Joan, if Bill has to leave us one day
to take his final rest, don't blame him for leaving. His poor old body has been
through so much. I am wondering if at times he is going on purely through
your love. You just do all you can to be there with him to make yourself feel
happy that you have done all you can. I am so sorry for you both going through
this. Bill, you are so loved and cared about, lots of love to you both.
love, Robbie in Australia.
********************************
Taken from the Houston Chronicle:
On Nov. 18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give a
concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. If you have
ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small
achievement for him.
He was stricken with polio as a child, and so he has braces on both legs and
walks with the aid of two crutches. To see him walk across the stage one
step at a time, painfully and slowly, is an awesome sight. He walks
painfully, yet majestically, until he reaches his chair. Then he sits down,
slowly, puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks
one foot back and extends the other foot forward. Then he bends down and
picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the conductor and
proceeds to play.
By now, the audience is used to this ritual. They sit quietly while he makes
his way across the stage to his chair. They remain reverently silent while
he undoes the clasps on his legs. They wait until he is ready to play. But
this time, something went wrong. Just as he finished the first few bars, one
of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it snap - it went off
like gunfire across the room. There was no mistaking what that sound meant.
There was no mistaking what he had to do. People who were there that night
thought to themselves: "We figured that he would have to get up, put on the
clasps again, pick up the crutches and limp his way off stage - to either
find another violin or else find another string for this one."
But he didn't. Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then
signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra began, and he played
from where he had left off. And he played with such passion and such power
and such purity as they had never heard before.
Of course, anyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with
just three strings. I know that, and you know that, but that night Itzhak
Perlman refused to know that. You could see him modulating, changing,
recomposing the piece in his head. At one point, it sounded like he was
de-tuning the strings to get new sounds from them that they had never made
before.
When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room. And then people
rose and cheered. There was an extraordinary outburst of applause from every
corner of the auditorium. We were all on our feet, screaming and cheering,
doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done.
He smiled, wiped the sweat from this brow, raised his bow to quiet us, and
then he said - not boastfully, but in a quiet, pensive, reverent tone - "You
know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can
still make with what you have left."
What a powerful line that is. It has stayed in my mind ever since I heard
it. And who knows? Perhaps that is the definition of life - not just for
artists but for all of us. Here is a man who has prepared all his life to
make music on a violin of four strings, who, all of a sudden, in the middle
of a concert, finds himself with only three strings; so he makes music with
three strings, and the music he made that night with just three strings was
more beautiful, more sacred, more memorable, than any that he had ever made
before, when he had four strings.
So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world in
which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then,
when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left.
-Jack Riemer, Houston Chronicle, February 10, 2001
Bill played with what he had left!
********************************
You are a most amazing woman, Joan. When you say "this is our
Life now and we will live it with courage and with grace" it brings tears to
my eyes, because I can't think of anyone who embodies courage and grace more
than you do. You are awesome, and it is inspiring to know you.
with heartfelt love and prayers for you and Bill,
Sara
********************************
Joan....you are going through so much....how can you find space in your
world for these emails....I am moved.....and in your own hour of fear and
frustration to be able to reach out to another woman (who needed help)...
how blessed....I've said a prayer just now for you and your Bill.....
please take good care.... C
********************************
This web site address was passed to me by someone I love and who loves me.
Now I pass it on to you, whom I also love.
If we all can agree that we sense a higher authority over our lives, then
it doesn't matter if we say "God, G-D, Yaway, Higher Power, Jehovah,
Creator, Buddha, Allah or Lord." We are One, together, here during our
Earthly lives.
And do you know something else? We are all made from Star Dust! :)
Yes, the same spectacular particles that make up the Stars in the Universe
are also Us. It takes my breath away just to think of our Possibilities.
We... Are... Stars! Each of us. And we each twinkle uniquely! :)
So please go here and enjoy this outstanding site. Share it with your
family and your friends because it totally demonstrates that our talents
and skills are Gifts from God and what we do with them is our Gift to God.
http://www.reata.org/interview.html
One person created this site. What a blessing.
Love, Joan
p.s. My loving friend's name is Hope. How appropriate!
********************************
Joan,
I think this is the most heartbreaking e-mail I have
ever received since owning a computer. My completely
broken heart is joined together with yours and Bill's
in every prayer, every breath, as I have read this.
And I can't help the tears and sobs coming along with
it.
At the same time, my spirit soars along with yours in
your ever faithful attempt to keep living and
fighting, trying not to give in and let this consume
you both.
I have no adequate words.....there are none except for
the three that say what I can't voice any other way at
this time...."I LOVE YOU!"
Keep hanging onto your spirit, my precious friend.
It's your main weapon.
Sending every ounce of love and every prayer of hope,
along with my heart.
Cindy
********************************
Joan:
Please hang in there and stay strong. I'm praying for Bill constantly and I
hope that he begins to recover. It's horrible all that Bill is having to
endure. I wish I could do something, anything to give you comfort. You are
a wonderful and strong woman. I don't know how you do it all. You are
an absolute inspiration to me. Remember that we are all thinking of you and
Bill.
Love,
Joy
********************************
I know you do not have time to write personally, but I just wanted to say
that I am so sorry that Bill is not doing as well as hoped at this time. I
wish that I could come and hold you like you did your new friend.
Please rest assured that you are in God's hands as is Bill and that whatever
comes will be His will for you both.
I am so glad you are taking the active stance in his care. It is good to do
that. .What you can impart to the doctors from your vast readings may be the
key to his recovery.
Janice
********************************
Hi dear Parent,
Bill is not any better. The platelets are still being destroyed. We must return to St. Louis and Barnes Hospital. I've hired an ambulance and two drivers to drive straight through. It will take about 14/15 hours. Actually, I hired three drivers so one can drive my car back. Bill can sit or lie down and will have oxygen onboard, and I shall watch over him, love him, read to him. He loves to hear stories. About airplanes, of course. ;)
I listened to my Inner Voice about flying home. The answer was no for lots of reasons, top among them is big storms in the area all the way down to St. Louis. Also, the altitude and pressurized craft could cause a major bleed, like a brain bleed/stroke.
So today I cleaned, and cried. Packed and wept. Closed up the cottage and sighed. Then bid farewell to my lovely lake. Drove back to the hospital w/ a packed car. Also brought back some donuts and half a bottle of wine. We had a party.
Crying is all done now. Life is meant to be lived. And we are doing that.
I shall try to publish when I get my bearings again. Soon, I hope.
I love you and am grateful for your understanding, patient heart.
Love, Joan
********************************
My heart aches for you Joan, and for Bill of course. Thank God he's not in
pain. No doubt the Lord knows you will receive all that you need to see
you through whatever course God deems necessary. Trust that you are never
ever alone. Love surrounds you. And it surrounds Bill. I pray that he
knows even a complete stranger like myself, is by his side in spirit,
wanting him well. When all your actions seem to fail, remember to ask God
to take over for He will respond. I know you believe that - never doubt it.
You are amazing for giving all of us reports on Bill's health. Where do you
find the energy? Just remember to look after yourself first for you can do
your best only when you take care of you. I love you and hope to hear from
you soon - but I'll wait for as long as needs be. God Bless.
Pam
********************************
Oh my dear Joan. What a horrid ordeal. Poor Bill. I am having trouble typing
through my tears. May Spirit watch over you both...
Sally
MESSAGES RECEIVED FROM AROUND THE WORLD
BEFORE AND AFTER BILL'S PASSING
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