Thank you for these honest, rich reflections, Michael. You inspire me in your honesty and rawness. I am continuing to pray for you as you navigate treatment options and love the river and live life along the way. Much love to you and Jenny and Isaiah and Grace, Margaret

Natural teachers
Lining stories of healing
Through coexistence

I saw a wonderful movie at the Riverview yesterday, The Biggest Little Farm. So much was about caring for and growing plants and animals and about inevitable deaths and destructions that happened at the farm. Destruction and deaths led to more creative and wholistic view of the nature where the problems stopped being problems but part of the intrinsic wholeness of nature in balance. It must be really hard to consider the potential harm and potential benefit. Something you cannot know with certainty. I trust that there is a larger view, a bigger story, that will spaciously hold with mercy both healing and violence.

I totally get your connection with the river. I love living near the St Croix and seeing it’s beauty and changing moods daily. North Shore/Lake Superior is my “happy place.” I go there at least once a year, more if I’m lucky. And must always stay within view of the big lake.

Yes, healing and health are strangely intertwined. I walked away from my breast cancer treatment (surgery, chemo, and radiation) cancer-free and was grateful, but my osteoarthritis is now rheumatoid arthritis and I’m walking a new journey.

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

Dear Michael,
Thank you for being such an encouragement to those of us who’ve been dealing with cancer for years and those who are new to his disease. I love the way you’ve spent time at the river and incorporated your cancer and treatment around all the scenes you experience at the river. I too, am now on a Caring Bridge Site, due to a serious setback. Such a God thing that we met as we did. I pray God will cover you and your family with his spirit. Blessings to you.....

We are praying for clear answers for you moving forward. I’m glad you have a restful place of solitude at the river...I don’t like spiders or snakes so I would have done the same thing I bet. Know that we are standing with you and praying for you all.

I would have sliced at the snake, too. Xox