What's on my mind today is my friend Lisa (AKA L.K. Madigan) author of the award-winning Flash Burnout and The Mermaid's Mirror (both highly recommended books.) She's one of those people who is kind and loving and giving. I got to know her because we are both members of the 2009 Debs and first met her in person at the SCBWI conference in LA in the summer of '09. A few weeks ago, I found out that Lisa has stage IV pancreatic cancer, which has spread to her liver. She's a breast cancer survivor and it just feels so incredibly unfair that she has to go through this. On Wednesday she posted about her diagnosis here. Lots of people linked to her post on twitter, FB, etc. and since then hundreds of people -- those who know her and those who don't -- have been leaving Lisa encouraging comments, just letting her know that she's cared for and supported by the online community. If you're so inclined, stop by and leave her a little note, it can even be anonymous. I've been so moved by people's caring comments.

There are so many things about Lisa's situation that devastate me. It seems too cruel. She's suffering. She has a thirteen-year-old son. She's such a good person. I mean really -- she's one of those people who makes everyone feel comfortable, who volunteers to help, who writes beautiful,  moving stories, who makes the world a better place. And instead of being out in the world doing all those amazing things she does, she's fighting this awful disease. I know it's true of so many people out there fighting. And I think the hardest thing for those of us who care about someone going through it is that there is so little we can do. If only there was something we could do! If you live close by, you can visit, bring meals for the family, help out in small ways. But from afar, what can you do? Send cards or gifts or cheering emails. But really that stuff seems to matter so little.

Years ago, Lisa started a blog posting called Thankful Thursdays on LiveJournal. Lots of LJers do Thankful Thursdays now. So in the spirit of Lisa's Thankful Thursdays, here's what I'm grateful for today:

1. My family

2. Health, which we too often take for granted.

3. Time-- to write and play and love and figure life out.

4. Community -- including those of you who stop by here to share thoughts

5. Freedom, which we also take for granted in more ways than we realize.

(What do you know, I ended up getting in a Friday Five after all.) 

So I'm not sure exactly what the point of this post is, except that maybe you'll join me in sending Lisa a wish or prayer for health and comfort, support for her family, or whatever comes to mind. I'm sending her lots of love and wishing and praying for a miracle.