Sound. Tree. Falling. Woods.

I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to pray at this point.

My Uncle Mike, the guy who stepped in for my dad when he was alive and after, the guy who led the charge in the biggest battle our family ever waged, the guy who taught me it’s good and important to be funny, might be slipping away from us. He is one of the finest men there is.

He had a stroke and then complications this week. He’s the kind of guy that chooses dignity over a lesser life. Every time the phone rings I get a cold shock through my body. I need to go home and see him. Even though I know he doesn’t want ANYONE to see him this way.

So it is at this point I am supposed to pray, but I am not sure for what. I feel like I’ve got an open line to Ben AND Jerry, but I don’t know what flavor to ask for. I don’t know if I should ask for something impossible — fat-free, sugar-free, no splenda organic Cherry Garcia — or something simple, that goes down easy.

Do I ask for what Mike wants, or what we want? Or omakase?

I think I need to clarify that I am not an overtly religious person. Spiritual, OK. I think it’s all the same, really: prayer, visualization, meditation, wishing. There are 108 beads on a rosary and on a mala — a Buddhist prayer necklace. Also, I put my dad’s rosary in my purse in Vegas and won a shitload of money. So there’s that.

Any recommendations happily considered.

Love,

Vanessa

PS — Mike hates religion, so please, nothing too Jesusy.

Vanessa McGradySound. Tree. Falling. Woods.