Summer In The City

Dear Friends,

Christa and I are in Chicago today preparing for the next presentation to the new students at Elmhurst College. Elmhurst is a wonderful liberal arts college where two of my oldest friends in higher education work. Dr. Eileen Sullivan is the Vice President for Student Life and we have been friends for thirty years. I was blessed to officiate the wedding of her assistant Desiree Novac and her husband Jordan a few years back as well. They have been good friends and have invited me to welcome their first year students today at 5:15 p.m. We will then head to Iowa State University to participate in Destination Iowa State to welcome their first year class to Ames, Iowa, one of the great college towns in America. Every new student for several years has read "Keys To Success In College And Life" and I am excited to experience Hilton Magic again. Destination Iowa State will have the Hilton Coliseum rocking!

Health wise I am really trying to stay in the moment and not get down the road with worry and stress. This is harder than I thought. I have always had a rolodex like mental game with airline choices, road directions, situations and the like that brings forth into my consciousness a myriad of possibilities. With cancer as a diagnosis this is not always comforting and peace producing. I am not in pain and would describe my energy level at 75-80%. The one concession I have made in my lecturing is that I sit on a high backed stool or chair behind the podium which gives me the ability to put my energy into vocal variety, humor, and gestures instead of occasionally thinking about the fact that I am standing for an extended period of time. So far so good. My next blood work and Doctor's appointment is September 2nd followed by a second infusion on September 3rd in Corvallis. Christa and I will return home this Sunday from Minneapolis.

Our family has been overwhelmed with your desires and offers to help us! My daughter Christa has initiated an idea that she will share with all of you on this blog on September 1st that will give you the opportunity to truly help our family through this difficult time. You have resoundingly told me that it is my time to receive and I am working on accepting that fact. Keep us in your prayers and thoughts as you will be in ours. Let's try to be in the moment today, present to all those around us at work, at play, and in our homes. Let's not miss the opportunity to be of service to someone close to us today because we are gazing down a future path that will reveal itself in time. As Rainer Maria Rilke told the Young Poet, we must all live into the answers to our questions.

Blessings,

Will