Kenny Lipska... A Soul Lost Too Soon

I received the news yesterday that one of my closest friends from high school was on life support after being diagnosed with spinal meningitis.  It all happened so quickly and now he's laying in a hospital bed on life support waiting to be sent home to God.

Kenny and I became friends through my high school sweetheart and we quickly forged a bond.  His family lived on the same street as so many of the kids we went to school with and he had tons of friends.  All the girls liked him.  He was cute and sweet and funny and kind... and so much more.  He was my friend.

On summer nights we would all sit out in the street listening to music, telling stories, laughing and talking.  When I was sad, Kenny would put his arm around me and let me cry on his shoulder.  When I was happy, he would laugh with me.  When I just needed a friend, he would wrap his arms around me and hold me.

I have so many fond memories of him that I hold dear to my heart.  One summer night, we were all hanging out with his family on his front lawn.  They were a close-knit, religious bunch (he has two sisters).  We were laying down on the lawn cuddled up in a blanket, looking up at the stars.  I never used to show affection like that but he made me comfortable.  He loved me for me.

Kenny is the (only) reason I fell in love with country music.  He and his neighbor Matt got me listening to, don't laugh... Billy Ray Cyrus.  I never would have imagined myself listening to anything with a twang.  If it weren't for Kenny playing "Achy Breaky Heart" I might not have ever opened my heart and mind to country.

On summer days, the gang would all drive out to the local reservoir and the boys would go on the rope swings.  They would climb down the steep hill, grab the ropes hanging from the trees and literally hoist themselves up and into the water.  My best friend Renee and I never did.  I had an immense fear of the dirty green water but we would sit back and watch the boys.  Kenny loved the rope swings.

I haven't spoken to Kenny since high school though I did look for him on Facebook a couple of years ago with no results.  Last summer I connected with an old friend (who was one of the gang that would hang out on that street together) and he is the person who shared this devastating news with me.  I feel sad that I missed out on the last years of Kenny's life.  I'm told that he was very happily married with two beautiful boys.  I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he is gone.  I am beyond devastated that this wonderful friend and good-hearted man has passed away so early in life.  He will be missed by so many.  I can't even begin to imagine how much this has rocked his family's world.  Words cannot express the devastation.

Kenny Lipska, may you rest in peace.  God bless you and your entire family.

*If you have any memories to share about Kenny feel free to respond with a comment.

***Afterthought:  Feeling sad, I just took a drive through the old neighborhood and relived many of the memories.  As I was turning onto the street, Lady Antebellum's song, "Need You Now" came on the radio.   How ironic that a country song would play at the exact moment I was driving on Kenny's old street (I was not listening to country radio).  So sad.

My thoughts on Michael Jackson final rehearsal

No matter what you might have to say about MJJ's character (we will never know the truth but speculation does not make a person guilty), he was the single most talented person of our generation. MJJ was a lost soul who never got a fair shake because of his personal choices, however unwise they were. Totally misunderstood. A friend of a friend said, "No childhood and now no old age." Bummer that he's gone and we'll never get the opportunity to see his dream of this tour come into fruition.

My Sister's Keeper

Today I was lucky enough to share some laughter with my niece, nephew and sister. On the kids' final day of Spring Break week we went to the movies to see "17 Again." Funny as the movie is, I'm not going to critique the film or give you any inside info. What I am going to tell you is all about a movie trailer that unexpectedly struck a nerve in me. The sound of a familiar little girl's voice hit me as she began to tell the story: "Most babies are accidents. Not me. I was engineered. Born to save my sister's life." It was the voice of little Abigail Breslin (who's not so little anymore), the actress who played Olive Hoover, the endearing child at the center of the 2006 Oscar nominated film "Little Miss Sunshine." "My Sister's Keeper" is the story of a young girl who hires a big time lawyer and sues for emancipation from her parents who genetically conceived her in order to save the life of her sister who is dying from cancer. All I can say is I cannot wait for this one to hit the big screen because I'll be there with baited breath. This movie will drum up controversy around the world, from its story line of a child being conceived as a genetic match for the purposes of the survival of another human being, to a child sueing its parents to be allowed the right to keep charge of its own body. Sadly, there is a deep, underlying secret that little Anna is keeping from her family which seems to be tearing them apart. You'll have to watch to find out. Not only does the trailer tug at your heartstrings but the track playing in the background emphasizes the importance of life and miracles with its passionate lyrics and tender melody. "Life Is Beautiful," a song by British rock band Vega 4 (who sounds exactly like one of my favorite bands, Snow Patrol), brought out the emotionality of the film and lifted my spirit. From the director of "The Notebook," this one's gonna be a real tearjerker so bring along a box of tissues if you decide to see it. And if you do, I'll see you there: June 26, 2009. My Sister's Keeper Trailer Life is Beautiful by Vega 4 (from Grey's Anatomy) Life is beautiful We love until we die. When you run into my arms, We steal a perfect moment. Let the monsters see you smile, Let them see you smiling. Do I hold you too tightly? When will the hurt kick in? Life is beautiful, but it's complicated. We barely make it. We don't need to understand, There are miracles, miracles. Yeah, life is beautiful. Our hearts, they beat and break. When you run away from harm, Will you run back into my arms, Like you did when you were young? Will you come back to me? I will hold you tightly When the hurting kicks in. Life is beautiful, but it's complicated, we barely make it. We don't need to understand, There are miracles, miracles. Stand where you are. We let all these moments pass us by. It's amazing where I'm standing, There's a lot that we can give. This is ours just for a moment. There's a lot that we can give.