Regrounding

When I painted Lori Marx-Rubiner’s jacket the lights were flickering in the high winter winds.  My eldest son complained about the constant loss of WIFI.  I called a Comcast technician and continued to paint.  When the technician arrived he showed me wires that were melted due to power surges and encouraged me to call the electric company.  I called them and they sent someone out.  The technician inspected the high wires and explained the problem. We had lost our neutral ground and our house needed regrounding.

 So I was inspired by a life that I read about and I life I lived as I painted “Regrounding.”

Lori has been through a lot shocks in her life.  She is a 12-year breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed at 35 after having a baseline mammography.  She was married with a three old son when she was dealt this blow.  She rapidly went from a “why me” mentality to the stance of an empowered patient.  She fought cancer, but she did not fight alone. 

Her entire community stood beside her. That is a wonderful thing.  A family going through cancer treatment so desperately needs the support of a wider community. In the years, hence Lori has become part of an even larger community of advocates.  She speaks out about cancer and breast cancer and attends medical conferences to share the patient view.

In 2009, her doctor told Lori that her tumor markers were up.  She was scanned and there were signs of healed bone metastases.   She is taking medication to heal the bones and injections to keep hormone levels low. 

She is regrounding.  Cancer may be her constant companion, but so is her local community.  She is taking the energy that pulses through her and channeling it through her Judaic faith and her wider advocacy.  She is one with the solid ground that supports so many.  That same ground will someday embrace her.

In a life we are blessed with so much energy.  That energy can be used in destructive ways or for healing.  Lori has chosen to be a grounding agent, and thereby helps so many.