“As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. … I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death,” said Professor Severus Snape.
–Harry Potter
Unfortunately, this is fiction and Alan Rickman wasn’t so lucky this past week. Neither was David Bowie or Celine Dion’s long-time manager and husband, Rene Angelil.
Cancer is a bitch!
Since I can’t think of a less thankful item, when this whole week cancer has been in the news, I will just focus on some things I am thankful for.
For the gifts, talents, and art left behind, even when the creators of these things are lost to us all.
I have never been a huge David Bowie fan. I missed the boat, all throughout the 70s and when he was first making his mark.
I think, for better or for worse, not being able to see Bowie is part of why I am unable to totally grasp what a unique statement he made. This isn’t to say I don’t believe he was talented, as I can tell from the outpouring of tributes since his death how much of an impression he made on the world of music and more. I did have my favourite Bowie songs though, for sure.
For art, even when it is frightening, sad, or painful to watch.
Some forms of art and creative expression are understood, fully, only by the original producers of that piece of art, but that’s perfectly okay.
I’m just thankful there are those who are free, who feel comfortable enough to express it.
For a very special one-year anniversary, not a relationship or marriage, but still a happy one, unlike the deaths I started this TToT out with.
The first time so many bloggers and writers all got together on the same day (the 20th of the month) to write about compassion was not until next month, but this was the day the idea first started to take shape.
I am so thankful it did. I am so thankful the original creators thought up the idea in the first place. I keep thanking them, but it’s because I am so much more better off since they decided to make a difference in this way
For the chance to stay with my brother again.
It will take a while before I will run out of these because every time I do something with him, even and especially those things we’ve done many times before, I can be grateful that he recovered and we are still able to have all the fun we’ve always had together.
I go to hang out with him, for visits, and it’s always a lot of fun.
This one is not only my thankful. His friend is thankful that they can play music together again.
I am including a link to some music of theirs, which was just put up on YouTube.
For a good piece of pizza.
May be hard to believe, but it’s not as easy to find as it sounds.
First-world thankful right there, but pizza can be a comfort, at a rough moment, especially when eaten with loved ones.
For those loved ones.
I know I am lucky to have them and I am reminded of this at the worst of life’s moments.
I just hope they know they have me, my support, anytime they need it and to not hesitate to reach out, whenever they need anything, anything at all.
For the life of a brilliant performer and the life he brought, on screen, to a certain literary character.
Alan Rickman passed away this week, from cancer, and I am grateful he played the role of Severus Snape, in the Harry Potter films, eight times, not to mention all the other wonderful roles he played during his lifetime.
Read my tribute to Rickman here.
It isn’t always easy to have a character from literature come alive in just the right way when the film of the book comes out, but Rickman WAS Snape. I owe him for that because he made a beautiful dream come true/to life just a little bit more for me, and that’s worth my gratitude here.
For a win for NHL team Chicago Blackhawks.
My brother and his wife were looking forward to this night out together, just the two of them, and I couldn’t think of two people who deserve it more.
I am not a big hockey fan, but my brother loves this team. He deserved to see his team win this time.
For another excellent exercise in creativity and creative writing.
I wanted to attend this particular one because it is being held by a fairly local writer, a Canadian author, whose blog I read regularly and whom I met, for the first time, last year at one of her
Check out one description of what art is, from the writer who held the workshop from my final TTOT of this week, as she uses David Bowie’s final music video as her reference.
On Lazarus, David Bowie’s last-released video
And that is why I love her writing so much.
Speaking of love.
For love. Yes, simply, for love.
It is precisely why I plan to devote the whole of next month to the subject here.
I see it all around me, between couples, families, friends, and even from fans. It is powerful and it is ever-lasting, in one way or another. It’s at the heart of so much of what we do and who we are. It offers hope and makes life worth living.
I may choose to wait to talk exclusively about it on this blog until February, the month known for romance, but I write about it now, when times are toughest because it’s right now when I feel we could all use it most.
Rest in peace, all those we’ve lost this week, may they be spouses, fathers, or grandfathers.
Her Headache 
FRIST
What wonderful tributes, and wonderful words. Love is so important – it feels like something I write about a LOT, and it makes such a huge difference in life. Never mind good pizza (which, yes, is wonderful) – good love is EVERYTHING 🙂
You are.
🙂
Thank you.
Yes, you do and I enjoy reading every word.
Pizza and love. What more could one need in life.
(well, something which doesn’t trigger a dairy allergy, for me, but point taken 😉 )
*insert favourite food him here
🙂
Probably toasted cinnamon raisin bagels, at the moment 😉
Love those.
It was such a hard week. Hard month of losses. I am still in shock. Cancer is evil.
My husband’s uncle was diagnosed with bladder cancer the day Bowie died. It’s his third bout of cancer. He goes in for an operation on the 21st.
I am excited that you are devoting your blog to love next month. I told my husband that all I needed was love and he argued that all we need was health (I have a lot of medical problems) — and like you, I said that if you have love, you have hope to endure the rest….
Love baby…that’s what you need 🙂 Great post.
Aw, sorry to hear about the diagnosis in the family.
😦
Yes, I think next month is the perfect time. I have wanted to write a lot of things on the subject, was trying to do just a post or two, but then I decided hey…why not go for a whole month.
🙂
well said.
this year is seems to be starting with the ‘disruption’ theme. (disruption as in the sense of causing one to notice the assumed, to become aware, by loss, of people and their influences.
David Bowie was not someone I would have gone to see, back in the day, but that was mostly because my musical interests were focused on instrumental’s, as opposed to vocalists. But the he had a huge (and persistent) last influence on the modern music, especially back in the 70s. It’s easy to not recall how big an impact he had, not just from the perspective of the music, but from the performance angle. It’s a measure of how things develop and change when looking back at some of the photos and even videos going back to the Ziggy Stardust days…
Now, Alan Rickman! My only disappointment comes from, in all the retrospectives and homages, it doesn’t seem like anyone remembers his wonderful performance as (the) Metatron in ‘Dogma’
(the first scene in which Alan Rickman appears is worth the price of admission on it’s own merits. I was going to past the link, but the language might not be to everyone’s liking. very funny, if you haven’t seen the movie it’s totally worthwhile).
So, sorry about last Friday’s non-vidchat we will try again this Friday, time still being decided.
No problem. Link would have been totally accepted and acceptable.
🙂
I will check it out when I get the chance.
Great. Keep me posted.
He WAS in Dogma! I’d quite forgotten that…
What a beautiful way to end your post with the song by Celine. So poignant to hear, considering her recent losses too. Love is what matters in this life and forever.
Poor woman. First her husband and then her brother.
😦
So what DID happen with the vidchat on Friday? I kept trying, only to find nobody home. Saw you signed in at one point, but couldn’t connect. Sad and disappointed, I gave up. Sigh.
The deaths have been many – Glenn Frey, too. Crazy.
Kerry, you just have the biggest heart and I love how freely you express that.
Hope to chat Friday this week. Somebody ping me – we may be out after Zilla’s karate lesson, but I’ll jump in when we get back.
Yes. I love The Eagles.
Well, Clark was left all by himself. I signed in, but not right away. Poor guy was left all to himself. The trouble with being the host of one of those I guess.
So, now the debate has been if the start time should be changed.