| MEGAN,
the MIRACLE HEROINE by Sally Otto |
||
| There is a business card sitting in
front of me; given to me by a friend. The card advertises
a Father-Daughter ~ Not For Profit Business created for
the express purpose of fund raising for charity. It's a
great card, especially if you know the story behind it.
The names of the Father and Daughter are followed by what
seems to a strange assortment of numbers and letters.
Actually, the strings of letters and numbers are personal
Ham Radio Call Signs. Both the Father and Daughter were
thrilled to pieces when the Daughter got her call sign;
she was one of the youngest, ever, to get her own call
sign: Megan A. Fox ~ KB5WBX. Megan was a very special baby in that her Mom and Dad wanted a baby so... very much. Her Mom had to have special surgery and blood transfusions so that Megan could even come into this world; to Earth; to her Mom and Dad and to us. Well... you see... the blood was contaminated with HIV. Who suspected this...back then" Both Megan and her Mom were infected. You must know what happened... Megan, with her Dad's and Family's help, made it her life's work to make sure that people of all ages found out about this disease. Specialists at NIH taught Megan, at her own request, all they knew about the disease - just so she could carry the message about AIDS to all she could reach--all ages and stages of life.
Megan and her Dad developed a great idea for fund raising for AIDS research. They made and sold their special version of the RED Ribbon: a loop at the top and two trailing ends, left and right, at the Bottom; a ribbon with one end crossed over the other; and special because Megan initialed each one. The place where the two ends cross is solid, nothing can get between the two ends. To me that means that the loop at the top is veritable life loop; something to hold on to; something to hope in, cling to. There is a two-line message at the top of the business card: Megan is
not dying from AIDS... I never met Megan even though I have several of her special pins. But, it occurs to me... This young child knew, first-hand, more about the reality of life and death and their possible unresolved issues than I will probably ever know. The thing is... I think she did more about the unresolved issues swirling around any of us even remotely touched by AIDS than, possibly, most of us will or will be willing to do. And, now... Megan is gone from our sight, much like a ship sailing away from us disappears. She has landed upon a shore very different from what we know here. Personally, over the years, I have often looked for easy answers or... deals, you know, bargains: God, if you... then, I... You know what I mean, don't you? From what I've heard about Megan, I don't think she tried any of these bargains or deals. Or, maybe the deal was: Help me to do the very best I can and I will do the very best I can to educate, to inform, to be an instrument of hope, help and inspiration. I can't speak for Megan. I didn't know her except by her art work, her pin. But this is what I believe. I believe the life of Megan is a miracle. I believe Megan is a heroine. She gives me cause for rejoicing and for praising God for His Gifts of Love, Hope and Promise. Agape, Sally Otto (Editorial in July 1996 issue of TIDINGS, the Christ Episcopal Church of St. Michaels, Maryland Newsletter) |
