Comments on: small http://www.colianni.net/aj/archives/2008/04/19/small/ a blinding flash of the obvious Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:36:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7-RC1-10015 hourly 1 By: Kari http://www.colianni.net/aj/archives/2008/04/19/small/comment-page-1/#comment-29505 Kari Wed, 07 May 2008 07:20:10 +0000 http://www.colianni.net/aj/?p=939#comment-29505 Its often sadness and tragedy that brings out the best in people. I too agree that the world should give, feel, help, connect without those things....and some people do. I just spent the last few hours reading through every blog on Matt's site from the time Liz went into the hospital. I laughed, cried, smiled, fell in love with that beautiful little girl, regained hope that love does exist, was reaffirmed that tragedy does happen to other people and sucks just as much, and felt hopeful. Hopeful that people aren't all jerks. Hopeful that Madeline might have lost a great parent, but has a great parent left. Not to mention the ohhh so extended family that she will have around her always! After reading the blogs I thought about putting a comment to Matt and at some point I am sure I will. Then I looked through picture after picture and realized that you too should be proud. Cynical as you be, to paraphrase Matt you're the #1 cynic, he needed you and you were there....above and beyond. How wonderful to find that your friends really can make your world better. Even if its just for a moment. Not sure why I posted a comment, guess it was just to thank you for standing up for a man (Matt) and a friend....when he needed someone to lean on. Could have something to do with the teary burning eyes and the lack of sleep too. Its often sadness and tragedy that brings out the best in people. I too agree that the world should give, feel, help, connect without those things….and some people do. I just spent the last few hours reading through every blog on Matt’s site from the time Liz went into the hospital. I laughed, cried, smiled, fell in love with that beautiful little girl, regained hope that love does exist, was reaffirmed that tragedy does happen to other people and sucks just as much, and felt hopeful. Hopeful that people aren’t all jerks. Hopeful that Madeline might have lost a great parent, but has a great parent left. Not to mention the ohhh so extended family that she will have around her always! After reading the blogs I thought about putting a comment to Matt and at some point I am sure I will. Then I looked through picture after picture and realized that you too should be proud. Cynical as you be, to paraphrase Matt you’re the #1 cynic, he needed you and you were there….above and beyond. How wonderful to find that your friends really can make your world better. Even if its just for a moment. Not sure why I posted a comment, guess it was just to thank you for standing up for a man (Matt) and a friend….when he needed someone to lean on. Could have something to do with the teary burning eyes and the lack of sleep too.

]]> By: Rich Fick http://www.colianni.net/aj/archives/2008/04/19/small/comment-page-1/#comment-29432 Rich Fick Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:53:54 +0000 http://www.colianni.net/aj/?p=939#comment-29432 Hi, AJ (and the world I guess), but mostly you AJ and those you love. I'm Penny's husband and brother-in-law to Candee. I appreciate your website blog and just spent some time listening to Jill Taylor as posted on your link. She's very interesting and obviously intelligent, but this makes me wonder if she's missed an important link in all her thoughtful discourse about her stroke. At this point I need to tell you that I am a Christian. I found the following definition for "nirvana" after I learned how to spell it: nirvana, in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism, a state of supreme liberation and bliss, contrasted to samsara or bondage in the repeating cycle of death and rebirth. The word in Sanskrit refers to the going out of a flame once its fuel has been consumed; it thus suggests both the end of suffering and the cessation of desires that perpetuate bondage. Epithets of nirvana in Buddhism include "the free," "the immortal," and "the unconditioned." Nirvana is attainable in life, and the death of one who has attained it is termed parinirvana, or complete nirvana. This has often been interpreted as annihilation, but in fact the Buddhist scriptures say that the state of the enlightened man beyond death cannot be described. Nirvana in the different Indian traditions is achieved by moral discipline and the practice of yoga leading to the extinction of all attachment and ignorance. See also karma. This all sounds very ideal, but the love displayed by and shared by Christ exceeds this and everything else we might imagine, dream, or think of via our intelligence. I can hardly begin to tell you of the exceedingly great joy we who know Christ have in our hearts and lives. In addition we have the assurance of eternal life not through anything we have done, but through the grace of God who loved us so much that He sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to be sin for us and die for us so that we may be made righteous through Him. See John 3:16. I hope you are receptive of this message of true peace and joy through Christ cruicifed. I also hope that you have more than 'head' knowledge of this message of hope peace and joy and that you will share it with your family and friends. I'm sure that you like most of us have many questions about life and how this hopeful message equates the loss of a precious loved one like, Liz. No amount of thinking alone will ever make sense of this loss or any loss of life. My hope and that of fellow Christians is that you and those you know might turn to God's word, the Bible, for answers to the many questions that we encounter in life. Joining others in worship and Bible study is a means to dig deeper and learn more of this loving God and coming to an understanding of how the death of His innocent son might clear the path for sinful folks like to be forgiven and freed of my sins so that I might know eternal life. God bless you and your family and friends, AJ. Please feel free to contact me if you would like me to share more with you. Liz's Uncle Rich Hi, AJ (and the world I guess), but mostly you AJ and those you love.

I’m Penny’s husband and brother-in-law to Candee.

I appreciate your website blog and just spent some time listening to Jill Taylor as posted on your link. She’s very interesting and obviously intelligent, but this makes me wonder if she’s missed an important link in all her thoughtful discourse about her stroke.

At this point I need to tell you that I am a Christian. I found the following definition for “nirvana” after I learned how to spell it:

nirvana, in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism, a state of supreme liberation and bliss, contrasted to samsara or bondage in the repeating cycle of death and rebirth. The word in Sanskrit refers to the going out of a flame once its fuel has been consumed; it thus suggests both the end of suffering and the cessation of desires that perpetuate bondage. Epithets of nirvana in Buddhism include “the free,” “the immortal,” and “the unconditioned.” Nirvana is attainable in life, and the death of one who has attained it is termed parinirvana, or complete nirvana. This has often been interpreted as annihilation, but in fact the Buddhist scriptures say that the state of the enlightened man beyond death cannot be described. Nirvana in the different Indian traditions is achieved by moral discipline and the practice of yoga leading to the extinction of all attachment and ignorance. See also karma.

This all sounds very ideal, but the love displayed by and shared by Christ exceeds this and everything else we might imagine, dream, or think of via our intelligence. I can hardly begin to tell you of the exceedingly great joy we who know Christ have in our hearts and lives. In addition we have the assurance of eternal life not through anything we have done, but through the grace of God who loved us so much that He sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to be sin for us and die for us so that we may be made righteous through Him. See John 3:16.

I hope you are receptive of this message of true peace and joy through Christ cruicifed. I also hope that you have more than ‘head’ knowledge of this message of hope peace and joy and that you will share it with your family and friends.

I’m sure that you like most of us have many questions about life and how this hopeful message equates the loss of a precious loved one like, Liz. No amount of thinking alone will ever make sense of this loss or any loss of life.

My hope and that of fellow Christians is that you and those you know might turn to God’s word, the Bible, for answers to the many questions that we encounter in life. Joining others in worship and Bible study is a means to dig deeper and learn more of this loving God and coming to an understanding of how the death of His innocent son might clear the path for sinful folks like to be forgiven and freed of my sins so that I might know eternal life.

God bless you and your family and friends, AJ. Please feel free to contact me if you would like me to share more with you.

Liz’s Uncle Rich

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