My Magic Mittens

I have a pair of mittens. Not just any mittens. They are kind of magical. Weird and crazy – you're thinking.

Before I tell you my mitten story I have to tell you about his amazing person who is a very dear friend of mine. She is in an epic battle right now. (and just so you all know, I asked her permission before I posted this) You might know someone who is also in an epic battle of their own. Some of you know my friend, she might also be your friend.

She is the reason for my magic mittens. They are pink. They have a pink ribbon embroidered on the back side of them. They're warm, even when they are soaking wet. Something about the magic properties of fleece and polyester combined.

I found out in October from my friend that she was going to be starting her epic battle and my heart broke. I had a lot of questions and mostly just felt like this really sucked for her and her family. And then I saw the mittens. I knew that as much as I wanted to help her through, there really wasn't very much I could do. Sure I can cook meals and move some laundry around and bring her flowers, but I can't make her better. Which is really what I want to do for her.

Back to the mittens. For every pair that gets purchased there is a shift. In research, in care, in help. For all the women out there waging their epic battles.

I wear mine pretty much every day. They remind me of my friend and how amazing she is. They remind me of how grateful and blessed I am to have her in my life and how lucky I am to be allowed in hers. They keep my hands warm and they are, in a small way, miraculously helping.

I dropped one the other day. Well, not so much dropped. It fell out of my pocket while I was helping my short legged son into the stroller on the uphill end of our walk to school. It wouldn't have been so bad, but for the fact that I ended up stepping on it in the mud puddle it landed in. Wet, muddy mess. I wanted to cry. I know, over a mitten, you're probably thinking. Why was I reacting like this? It was just a mitten. And yet, it wasn't just a mitten. This was my reminder of my friend. It was so disappointing and my heart was saddened. I wrung it out the best I could and put it back on. It was cold and icky and mud. In about two minutes though, it had warmed up. Yes, it was still wet, but it was warm! My hand was warm through the ick. Go figure, magic mittens!

I got home and put them in the wash. They're kind of two different colours now. One is it's lovely shade of pink the other kind of not, but it has way more significance now. A life analogy maybe. We go along, get roughed up a bit, knocked around, fall in the mud. Get up, dust ourselves off, carry on. We're not the same as we used to be. Hopefully we've changed in some positive way by our experiences.

So to my battle scarred friend, you are a superhero. I am amazed by you and my mittens are too!