My Cover Girl

leta cover girl

file://localhost/Users/lainey/Desktop/leta%20cover%20girl.tiff

In 2012 Leta was the cover story for her school’s winter magazine, “Reflections.”  The magazine was sent out to over 50,000 friends of Camphill Special School, and it was so exciting to hear from people that our little Cover Girl had arrived in their daily mail.  I was reminded of this moment when I picked up People magazine last week and saw that  Talia Casteliano, a terminal childhood cancer patient, had been named an honorary cover girl by CoverGirl Makeup.  Talia has been battling cancer since she was 7 years old.   This little girl is absolutely beautiful!  How refreshing that we get a break from the impossible images of beauty, that none of us can attain, and we are allowed to focus for a minute on what real beauty looks like.   We all know that “beauty is only skin deep,” but magazines continue to instill in us that we should attempt to conform to impossible images.  When Leta’s face appeared on the cover of her school magazine last year, I saw nothing but perfection.   I am sure Talia’s friends and family agree.  Hopefully, in our kids generation, we will see more Letas and Talias on the covers of our beauty magazines….

 

 

Mr Rogers Mom had it right

When We See the Helpers–We Know There’s Hope (click here for video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LGHtc_D328

In the wake of the Boston Marathon tragedy, Mr Rogers tells a story about the wisdom his mother shared with him when he was growing up.  Her advice was: ” when you are in the midst of something scary or tragic, always look for the helpers….  Because when you find the helpers, you will know there is hope.”  I love this sentiment because it reminds me of how I managed to take care of Leta for the last 16 years.  Her dad and I showed up every day, but it was the endless army of helpers that always showed up just when Leta was at her sickest or needed extra love and support.  Leta has brought some amazing people into our life that we would never have known if it were not for her.  So thank you to Mylene, Ericka, Gail, Becky, Linda, Lynette, Jeanine, Rosie, Nora, Narkie, Kim, Guy, Annie, Bernie, Ashley, Nikki, Kenny, Veronica, Sarah, Darlene,  and so many others that have made a difference in Leta’s life so far…….You are all helpers, healers and heroes to us.