Confessor's Contemplations: Alleluia Booklet for May 7th
As many of you know, the Alleluia Booklet was distributed at Easter to everyone who attended the service. It was also sent to many others via mail.
Today, May 7th, 2026 is the day the story of Eliot's desire for a hug comes up. I wanted to share this with you all and suggest that you start thinking about an Alleluia story for the 2027 booklet.
Here is my story from today, May 7th, 2026:
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Today, May 7th, 2026 is the day the story of Eliot's desire for a hug comes up. I wanted to share this with you all and suggest that you start thinking about an Alleluia story for the 2027 booklet.
Here is my story from today, May 7th, 2026:
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It was the longest moment of my life; I hope I never have to experience it again. When the Dr, the fellow actually, finished telling us about Leukemia, words that went in one ear and out the other and how this disease was affecting Eliot’s blood and bone marrow, the Fellow finished by explaining how they would cure it.
The words “cure it” screamed through my head, when he finished and had left the room, I remember this feeling of great elation, great joy, great relief and I hugged Sara, Eliot’s Mom, lin a big bear hug. It was as if I had been reborn, made new, resurrected and given a new life.
For a moment it was just the two of us in that room, we hugged each other and sobbed and simply stood there next to Eliot’s grey, metal crib while he sat there in his little yellow pajamas unfazed by all the tubes, beeping machines and cramped space of the hospital room.
At that moment, his little voice came floating up, “Eliot want hug too.” I laughed and cried all at the same time and gave him a big hug and cried a little (ok, a lot) more.
Now, Eliot is 21 years old, right at this moment he is in Ireland visiting his sister as she studies abroad. Every time he calls, every time I talk to him, he always says,, “Hey Daddy”, and every time I hear it, I think of that small, still voice floating up to my ears, “Eliot want hug too”.
He was cured, and he has grown into an amazing adult who will have a big impact on the world. But I will always, to some extent, remember his little swollen face, yellow pajama covered body looking up not in fear, but love, reaching out to be held.
The words “cure it” screamed through my head, when he finished and had left the room, I remember this feeling of great elation, great joy, great relief and I hugged Sara, Eliot’s Mom, lin a big bear hug. It was as if I had been reborn, made new, resurrected and given a new life.
For a moment it was just the two of us in that room, we hugged each other and sobbed and simply stood there next to Eliot’s grey, metal crib while he sat there in his little yellow pajamas unfazed by all the tubes, beeping machines and cramped space of the hospital room.
At that moment, his little voice came floating up, “Eliot want hug too.” I laughed and cried all at the same time and gave him a big hug and cried a little (ok, a lot) more.
Now, Eliot is 21 years old, right at this moment he is in Ireland visiting his sister as she studies abroad. Every time he calls, every time I talk to him, he always says,, “Hey Daddy”, and every time I hear it, I think of that small, still voice floating up to my ears, “Eliot want hug too”.
He was cured, and he has grown into an amazing adult who will have a big impact on the world. But I will always, to some extent, remember his little swollen face, yellow pajama covered body looking up not in fear, but love, reaching out to be held.
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Below is a picture from shortly after Eliot began his Chemo treatment. The other picture was taken at Lake Placid at the USCSA Nationals. 2006 or 2007 to 2026. 20 years later. Fun stuff...
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