Mary Lou's Surprise

''Mary Lou's Surprise" is a story of a young girl named Mary Lou who has leukemia and who is missing her classmates. After hearing the news at school, Henry decides to throw a party at Easter time at her house with cake, ice-cream, balloons, and games. Through all the excitement, Mary Lou's friends, teacher, and principle all learn that "happiness is doing for others."
I wrote and illustrated "Mary Lou's Surprise" when I was eleven years old. For over thirty-six years, the homemade book was tucked away in my mother's attic, hidden in an old suitcase I used to carry around as a child. Getting ready to move, my mother rediscovered it and gave it me. When I reread the story that I wrote many years ago, I discovered several uncanny parallels to my adult life. I knew God wanted me to share it as a testimonial of hope for others. I feel I am living proof that life goes in a full circle.
Like Mary Lou, I too, have cancer which is also a "white blood disorder" and is very similar to leukemia. I have had it for fourteen years and have relapsed for the fifth time as of last year. Over the summer the cancer has spread and I start chemotherapy for a third time in January. It was not long before I started work at Island Hospice as Volunteer Coordinator for THA Group, that I felt my calling was to help others. I recruited my children Sims fourteen and Stephen seventeen, as Island Hospice Teen volunteers. I wanted them to learn important lessons in life like the benefits of helping those in need.
There are a number of other aspects in the book and from my childhood that now have so much relevance. Not only does Mary Lou have cancer, but they go to visit her on Easter. This year April 8th, my husband Stephen and I will have been married twenty four years and it falls on Easter. Mary Lou's teacher's name is Miss Beatie and that is the teacher on the popular television show Little House on the Prairie, which was my childhood favorite show. My daughter and I watch the reruns today. Henry and the children play games with Mary Lou to cheer her up. I play games now with our hospice patients to cheer them up and relieve stress. The cover was recreated by my daughter just like we found it, but put on a lime green paper. My children discovered that all cancer types are given a color and lymphoma's is lime green and the celebration month is September. The book was just discovered in the month of September and my childhood favorite color just so happened to be apple green.
I truly believe God gave me the courage to write the story so young because I believed in him so much. He knew one day I would find the book at just the right time in my life, so that I could share it with others who need encouragement. I believe everything is for a reason and there are no such things as consequences. I have shared my story with patients, nurses, children and veterans. I now want to share it with you and your family. Mary Lou's moral of her story says it all "happiness is doing for others."
I would love to hear your comments. Email: buttimer1@att.net.