Coffee Connections: When One Learns a Life Lesson

Two weeks ago a dear friend of mine was driving with her husband to their granddaughter’s ballet recital. In a flash moment their life changed forever. They were victims in a horrific car accident that resulted in multiple broken bones, the pelvis for the husband Elmer, and wrist, shoulder and more for Judi. They will endure several monthes of medical and rehabilitation treatments. Neither of them will ever be the same.

I am sharing this story as one of resilience. We each encounter challenges during our lives. We think things are major catastrophies when in reality they are a brief diversion of inconvenience. I shared my new book Coffee Connections: Regrounded with Judi as a simple gift to let her know that I think of her everyday. My book is about regrounding and starting a new life after a major change. I was not prepared to anticipate the level of change my friend experienced.

Last night after reading the book, Judi sent me this text.

“Hi Wendy, I just started reading your book and I have to tell you I know it talks about life change in terms of divorce, but I can’t help feeling that I’m relating it to the accident that Elmer and I were in the rehab that we’re going through. Over the past three weeks since the accident I’ve been thinking a lot about this life change & the implications that I need to slow down a little and spend more time with Elmer and do the traveling that we’ve talked about so anyway I just wanted to pass that along. The book is beautifully well written and easy to read. Thanks for sending it to me.’

I was touched beyond words that she would write such a kind review. She is a heroine in my eyes defining the word resilient. This morning she shared a group text advocating for each of us to take action to write to Congressional leaders for a bill she had been working on prior to her accident. This is something dear to her heart and if you are in a district this applies to please do take five minutes out of your life to take action.

Dear Friends,

ACTION YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED! This is very simple and will only take 5 minutes!

The National Breast Cancer Coalition is amping up efforts to pass the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act this year. This legislation would remove the onerous waiting periods (5 months Social Security Disability and additional 2 years for Medicare coverage) for men and women with metastatic breast cancer patients who qualify for these benefits. The bill has the support of 241 bipartisan members of Congress, including two-thirds of the Ways & Means Committee, where it sits awaiting action. NBCC President Fran Visco sent this letter to Ways & Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-MO) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) emphasizing the urgent need to act on the bill in committee.

YOUR STRONG VOICE IS NEEDED! PLEASE CALL:

Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-MO) 202 225 3625 And

Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) 202 225 5601

with the following message - staring now again once every week:

I‘m calling to urge [ Mr Smith or Mr Neal] to do everything in his power to have the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act - HR 2048 - marked up in the Ways & Means Committee NOW. Two thirds of the committee members cosponsor this bill and it has a wide bipartisan support. Women dying of breast cancer cannot afford to wait for care!

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Please share this ALERT with family and friends and ask them to call Mr Smith and Mr Neal with the same message.

Please let me know if your get responses or feedback

Thank you for all you do!

I called her after receiving the email to share how amazing she is, in still continuing her activism despite any setback from the accident. She shared that my circumstances in regrounding inspired her, (although totally different) but motivating to live life to be her best while continuing to fight and advocate for such important issues.

In the beginning of my new book, I share a quote from my cousin about being the Shamash. It is as follows:

To me, my dear friend Judi and her husband Elmer exemplify this to the highest degree.