Skinnamarink!

Last September, I made a small donation to Willow Breast Cancer Support Canada*, an organization started by, among others, Sharon Hampson. I grew up watching her on television as one third of the trio Sharon, Lois and Bram. I LOVE HER. Truly, I do. When I discovered that she had had cancer herself, I felt sick. So when I found an opportunity to give back, I took it. When I made my donation, there was a comment box where you could say why you were giving. So I wrote about growing up watching the Elephant Show. I wrote that Sharon was always like a mom to me and that I never questioned it when, at the end of the show, she said that she loved me. I took it as absolute truth. She had given me so much and inspired me to learn about and listen to all sorts of music. I wake up everyday with a song already stuck in my head, I hum or sing all day long and I am always looking for new songs and artists. I have to believe that Sharon Lois and Bram were and are a part of that.

Anyway. On Wednesday, I got a letter. From whom? SHARON HAMPSON! No way! I nearly passed out. I was so excited and almost afraid to open it. But I obviously did. It was a Holiday card and inside it read:

"Dear Patti,
Thank you for your kind donation to Willow and your lovely message which was passed on to me. I am touched.
Sharon"

Oh. My. God.

I noticed that the return address label was HER home address. It had to be. There was no "care of" or anything like that. I called friends. I wrote emails. Then I did something most people would find odd. I wrote her back. I had to. I had to let her know how much it meant to me that I got a letter from a childhood hero. I will admit that I had trouble putting it in the mailbox the next day, but I did and if my calculations are correct, she'll receive it sometime next week.

It still makes me giddy. I can't believe I got a letter from Sharon. SHARON! Oh lord.

*Go to http://www.willow.org/ to make your own donation and learn more.