Hang in there, Greg

Greg - we have never met, but I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with Carrie at BGI and she has told me a bit about you and what is going on in your life right now. I just wanted to know that my family is all cheering you on and sending you our best wishes. Your network of fans and supporters stretches way out, farther than you can probably imagine. I am looking forward to meeting you sometime and sharing a couple of beers. Be tough, be strong, and get better.

 

Paul Diegel

thoughts

Dear Carrie, Phil and Greg

I am writing from central NY where Spring is trying very hard to show
itself. Although we got teased yesterday by a beautiful sunny day - April
fools, I guess - It is cold but sunny and clear. The birds are singing
themselves silly trying to remind us that the warm weather will indeed be
here soon. I love the anticipation of Spring and all the hope that comes
with it. I can only imagine how hard you are all tryng to look forward to
warmer, happier times. As I watch the earth warm up and the flowers bravely
start to show themselves, I am thinking of you. Sending you thoughts of
rebirth and new found beauty.
Much love to you all - please keep in touch
Wendy

On a dock in Maine

Dear Greg, 

My husband Michael remembers the exact moment we met you - I think it was because you had a lot of Miller High Life tallboys on hand. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and everyone was getting down in the cool lake water. It was the kind of weekend in Maine that weddings are made for, so Carrie and Phil got married.  We partied hard, it was a beautiful time. Without Carrie and Phil and beer, we wouldn't of met you. Carrie and Phil and beer are all excellent things that I love dearly. Since I love those things, and you love those things, that means that there is nothing but love between you and me! I'm thinking of you, Frankie, Carrie, Phil, and the rest of your family all the time. PULL, PULL, PULL, Greg - and I'm going to buy you a case of any kind of beer your heart desires. If you don't desire beer, I get you a case of something else. That's a promise. 

Love,

Paquita Bass

Heal

Dear Greg,

 

My name is Laurel Grady and you don't know me, but we have a common bond. Your sister-in-law Carrie is a dear, dear friend of mine and fellow shaman apprentice. I love Carrie dearly, and through that bond, I love you also. I and many others have been working on your behalf in the Spirit World, I think you already know that. You and I met there last night and I just want you to know that I'm not giving up on you. I intend to continue working for you throughout this entire ordeal. Greg, fella, you have so much to live for .. your family and friends love you endlessly and do not want to lose you. People you don't know and will probably never meet are working on your behalf, we all want you to stay with us in this world. You have touched so many lives ... you can't let this thing beat you. Remember all the beautiful things of life ... sunny days of Spring, the sweet smell of the Earth warming under the Sun's rays, the greening of the grass and fresh new leaves, intense blue skies, puffy white clouds, all the beauty of nature. Remember your family and friends and all those you love and cherish. Remember the simple things you love that make life so rich.

 

Greg, I know you are tired and would like to give in, but I truly believe that you are not meant to leave this way. I believe you are experiencing this illness to bring you to a place of renewed appreciation and zest for life.  Great Spirit has more in store for you, aren't you curious as to what that might be? I know this all sounds like a very long cliche, but no matter how hackneyed, there is Truth and meaning in all those trite platitudes. Life is more precious when you've gone to the edge and come back. I am begging you to come back, come back to the love that surrounds you, to the beauty and fullness that is life on Earth. Come back to play another day, we need you.

 

Love and Infinite Blessings,

 

Laurel

Letter for Greg

Greg,

Hi, I'm Dory. You don't know me, but I'm a friend and former teacher of Carrie's in shamanic healing. Maybe you don't believe in this, but I ask you to pay attention and believe that I believe. I have had numerous experiences of people being able to come back from overwhelming illnesses to live full, productive lives. Perhaps there is a lot more for you to do here on Earth, with your loved ones, and I ask you to think about that. I ask you to search your soul for the truth of what is, and step into recognizing that being alive is not a bad thing. Struggles visit all of us and that is what community is for...to help us with our struggles, and with our weaknesses, and to celebrate our gifts and our strengths.

There have been times in my own life when I wanted to give up and just let go; it seemed like the easier course. Maybe you are pondering that very thought. I want to encourage you to fight with all you have to come back into THIS LIFE, to live it to it's fullest in whatever way that is best for you. You are surrounded by loved ones who cherish you and accept you in every way and who want you to continue on this life's journey with the fullness of all you are.

One thing I know for sure is that life in a body has many blessings...think about FOOD!!! Hmmm,... all the delicious flavors of the cornucopia available to us. Think about touch, hugs, love, laughter, dancing, music and gentle breezes. Think about smelling an apple pie, about being out on the lake fishing, watching a sunset, laughing until your sides are splitting, and celebrating holidays and birthdays.

You have hundreds of human and non-human angels around you, guiding you, protecting you, and holding you while your body heals. Your body has the capacity to heal itself so that your spirit can reside in a happy place. I pray for you that this will be so.

Blessings for rapid, complete and permanent healing.

Dory

blessings

Dear Greg,

Carrie has been keeping me posted on your condition. My whole family here in Chicago and I are praying for you. Although I don't know you on a personal level that well, it's always been very clear to me what an important role you play in Carrie and Phil's life. I think about sitting around some couches in the back room at Soda w/you and Frankie, Carrie and Phil. Phil always seems to be so relaxed and happy when he's with you. And that always makes me smile. And hearing about fishing trips that you and Phil took in Maine, I understood something of the close bond you have with each other. I hear that Phil goes fishing weekly now out in Seattle and I know you want to make it out there to join him on one of those trips. Personally, i can't wait to visit them out there. I hear it's so beautiful. I know that you mean a lot to a lot of people. And Carrie and Phil are two people whose lives you enrich so much. That's the good life--enjoying time with family and friends. It's worth giving everything you have to fight to hold onto that. I know you can do it, Greg.

I'm sure this has been scary to go through. And you might be questioning right now why this happened. And the answer to this you might never know. But this ordeal has reminded me how very precious every life is. Your life is precious. You are precious. And you can't stop believing that. Believe in yourself, in Frankie, in Phil, in Carrie and in all those loved ones around you. And the universe will take care of you all.

You are not alone Greg. And you will not fight this fight alone. We are with you.

God bless you.
Maggie

Support and hope

Dear Greg (and Carrie, Phil and Frankie),

While I only have met you but a few times, Carrie told
me about your illness and I wanted to take a moment to
write you to send my support, energy and hope for
healing and recovery. The world is a beautiful place
if we make it so and I appreciated your humor as we
sat in Prospect Park on 4th of July watching a strange
hipster water fight just before it started to rain.
This is what I think of when I remember you and it
brings a smile to my face. Now I am sending you not
just smiles, but prayers and strong wishes, to hold on
and come back to us, so that you can enjoy many
sunnier picnics with friends and family.

Lots of love and hope.
Eleanor Whitney

"I'm old-fashioned and think that reading books is the most glorious pass time that humankind has yet devised." -Wislawa Szymborska
http://www.riffrag.org, queer, feminist art magazine!
New personal blog! http://killerfemme.blogspot.com

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what can I say to Greg?

What could I say to Greg?  You could just tell him that even Neil and Kelly are thinking about him all the time, and pulling for him.  And if Greg is at the top of even our lists, it suggests that there is a really big chunk of humanity that simply really wants him to live. 

He only needs to find the strength to recognize and understand that, and perhaps the rest will follow.

Neil