Saturday, March 13, 2010

Happy 1st Anniversary to The Keeping Room


After discovering a most enchanting and inspiring community of blogs and their creators during the winter of 2009, I took the leap into this warm stream of consciousness, of the hearts and minds which had so enriched my life, and created The Keeping Room. It was nearing the 20th anniversary of my younger son's diagnosis of cancer at age seven, and I wanted to do something to celebrate his survival and triumph over the ordeal. This is Cuyler at age one. The portrait is the work of Sam Oliver, a local photographer who was and still is in great demand in our area. This is just one of a series of photos that he took in October of 1982. We were outdoors on a warm, autumn afternoon and years away from the trials and sleepless nights and months and years of coping with cancer. I know we have not been alone in this experience. Also, I know we have been extremely blessed and graced with a recovery.

One of the themes of the American Cancer Society is celebrating the birthdays of cancer survivors. My school is a leader in fundraising for the Relay for Life this year. Yesterday, during each of the four lunch waves, a cancer survivor--a student or school employee--was recognized and students could donate fifty cents and have a piece of birthday cake. So today, as I reflect on my one year anniversary of a most wonderful year of blogging, I dedicate this post to each of you who are survivors or who have loved ones who are survivors. From my grateful heart to yours, I honor your birthdays and your lives. Peace be with you.

20 comments:

Rowan said...

Congratulations on your one year anniversary. That's a lovely photo of you and your son, how marvellous that he has survived cancer and had chance to grow up into a fine young man.

Tess Kincaid said...

Happy Blogoversary, dear friend! The bloggyhood just wouldn't be the same without your warm, glowing FireLight.

Gorgeous photo of you and Cuyler. Thank goodness he is still a beautiful part of your life. xx

Tess Kincaid said...

PS~~I have "The Irish R.M." series 1, vol 1 here ready to pop in this evening. Perfect for St. Paddy's week! Thanks for the recommendation! :)

FireLight said...

Rowan, so good to see you stop by! Your Circle of the Year is my personal version of THIS ENGLAND!

Willow, I have told you many times how your Life at Willow Manor was my very first blog to read and to fall in love with....and the inspiration for my having a blog of my own! Thank you a thousand times over!
Oh yes!! THE IRISH R.M.!!! Get ready for many an hour of laughter! I know you will love it!
I have RYAN'S DAUGHTER & THE QUIET MAN in my Netflix queue!

alaine@éclectique said...

what a beautiful portrait. Happy Anniversary, Firelight. xa

FireLight said...

Alaine, I have been having a cup of tea and enjoying a bit of ELECTIQUE!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

How wonderful...both with your son and on your blog anniversary. It's wonderful when we're able to celebrate life with such sweet abandon that we find joy in a blog anniversary!
Pax.

Rebecca said...

Happy Anniversary to you! What a lovely addition you've made to the blogosphere!

Many Blessings to you and yours this St. Patrick's Week.

God Bless!

Betsy Brock said...

What a wonderful thing to celebrate! :)

Your picture of your son and you is absolutely gorgeous. You are such a beauty!..and he such a cutie!

Congratulations on weathering such a big storm in life and coming out in the sunshine on the other side...then, not forgetting what you have gone through and pray for and celebrate with others. I think that is just great!

And congratulations on your 1 year blog anniversary. You seem like an old pro and I'm always inspired by your thoughtful posts and kind comments! :)

Country Girl said...

Congratulations on reaching the one-year milestone. Has it only been one year since I've found you? And here's to all the Survivors out there!

karen said...

Such a beautiful portrait. Happy Blogoversary. I've enjoying visiting here very much and looking forward to another year. They go by so quickly.
xoxo

Martin said...

Happy anniversary and very best wishes.

Unknown said...

Hello FireLight,

Congratulations to both you and Cuyler. I remember seeing your first comments before you had a blog of your own. It was a good day when you began.

Unknown said...

P.S. I always enjoy seeing your monthly calendar plaques!

FireLight said...

Sandra, thank you for all of the inspiration and spirit you pour into Thistle Cove Farm! And peace be with you!

Rebecca, please know I will be using my Fitzgerald china cup this Wednesday. And when I am drinking something a bit stronger, making a toast to the Ladies' Historical Tea Society.

Betsy, the amazing Betsy of My Five Men...I know one thing for sure...those have to be the luckiest five men on the planet! It has been wonderful getting to know you!

Karen, thank you for loving your animals as much as I love mine...now I don't think of myself as having gone to the dogs! Your Maggie's Garden is so appreciated....I hope Maggie doesn't mind sharing it with all of us!

Martin H., getting to know you through the Sepia Saturday project has been so interesting and informative...I keep going back to your story about the Notre Dame Cathedral...such a story about your dad. Thank goodness I have had Square Sunshine on these wintry days when there has been no other sunshine available!

Derrick, yes, you can say you knew me "when" {smiles}. You have become my personal guide to the Scottish border country...and many other fascinating places all over the world. Is there any place you have NOT visited? I just love to spend my time Melrose Musing!

FireLight said...

P.S. Derrick, I have actually been scanning the plaques and then cropping the image as a short cut to have them in the sidebar! Nancy Thomas does have a website. I will add it to the the image as a link. There are some plaques for the four seasons that I would like to add to my little collection of monthly calendars.

Cait O'Connor said...

What a lovely photo of you and your son.
Congratulations on your first year of blogging, yours is one of my favourites.
Thank you for this one.

Lyn said...

You both looks so beautiful..congratulations, for all your celebrations..I too am a survivor..17 years!! and a birthday in Aries! Blessings all around.

Jen said...

Congratulations on the anniversary! What a milestone. And doubly (infintely) more your son's story. What a miracle and a blessing.

The portrait is beautiful. It looks like it came from a Victorian photo album.

Congrats to all the survivors who read this. You guys are truly and inspiration!

Jen

cassandra said...

This picture of you is so pretty!!!!!

About Me

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Recreational scholar, former high school and junior college English teacher. Animal lover (especially horses, dogs, and people), lives in the South, sometimes poet and essayist... "Ireland, Scotland, Britain, and Wales...I can hear those ancient voices calling..." Van Morrison from Celtic Heartbeat