Day Six: Stuart Ross and Lisa McCallum

Many people in life go through rough times. Many spend their lives complaining and many chose to live in a world of quiet misery.

Few however share their lives and stories with us enabling the reader to not only feel a sense of closeness, but to find a measure of knowledge, inspiration and hope for a better way to look at life. Few allow us to bask in the love and light that they are as people and by doing so help us find more in us to love and give.

I will begin with Stuart, because I met him first. In his wonderfully inspiring book "Beyond my Control," he guides us all to a deeper understanding of what someone living with any disease can be going through. We learn how to judge both ourselves and others less and with more kindness.

Stuart's warm heart, quick witt and ability to laugh at himself has helped me to learn to laugh at myself and to forgive myself easier for my own faults and embarrassments. Yes we all have them. Through many a dark day during this last year he has made me smile. Illuminating and shining light into all the dark and hurt places bringing hope and laughter back into my life. Not so oddly Lisa also has this ability.

Since I first began my friendship with Ross and then Lisa I feel a bond that goes deep into my soul. A sense of belonging and a home of the heart. They are two of the most supportive, kind and funny humans I have ever had the opportunity to know. And if somehow the powers that be, were to strip them from my life it would leave a whole the size of the world in me.

Oddly enough growing up in a family that moved too many times, with parents whose backgrounds were so different as to make one wonder if we were living in a book or movie and not life, as those around us continued to let us know in many ways that we did not fit. As a result we children learned to walk our own path, you would see us playing the roles of "Sound of Music," for company. Entertaining ourselves and fellow laundromat customers singing and dancing to the embarrassment of some of those around us. Then we would follow that up with Wonder Woman and Easter Bunny stunts to entertain invalids and children.

However during the many years since my youth I had lost some of this ability. I have tried to hard to fit into what is considered acceptable, yet never fitting always the odd one. Just by being who they are Stuart and Lisa with the other's I have met on Facebook have helped me to lose some of the feeling of being alone that I have carried with me throughout my life. In their creation of Kenny the Kangaroo, Dancing to the Rocky Horror Picture Show and inviting Scarman to Christmas dinner, they gave me back something that I felt I had lost, the ability to play without worry.

Their love of life and ability to carry us all into that place of joy, laughter, love and support that Ross and Lisa are is a miracle in itself. To allow us to share in their lives and that bond that they have is priceless.

To me to be able to call them together and separately my friend is a gift that is immeasurable. They both bring with them individual qualities of love, joy, friendship, laughter and show all of us the true meaning of kindness, love and support each and every day.

Thank you Ross and Lisa from the bottom of my heart for the daily joy, inspiration, support, laughter and happiness you bring to my life and to the lives of all of us.

And a special thanks to Kenny the Kangaroo for befriending his biggest fan Dinky my nurse mare foal.