Hallelujah, a Clear 5-Year Scan for Marit Francis!
I got a phone call today that surprised and delighted me. The caller was a lovely woman, both inside and out. We’re not friends, more…I don’t know… friendly acquaintances? I struggle to define relationships now that I’m out in the world, sharing my stories. I never knew that relationships were difficult to define before GRIDLEY GIRLS. Friendship comes easy to me, as I love people. My mother used to say “people are my therapy” and that is definitely my truth as well. But back to this awesome phone call.
“Meredith, I wanted to tell you that your book was an amazing experience. I am a fan. I am a Gridley Girl. I didn’t want it to end.” I, of course, immediately started to cry – genetic defect still hard at work. She went on to share her story of reading my book over the weekend, on a plane, telling me how she laughed out loud and then sobbed, right there on the two-seater plane, not caring at all what the man next to her thought of her. I silently cried while she shared more with me about her experience with GRIDLEY GIRLS and I silently thanked God for bringing her to me today, of all days.
A day of reflection and prayer as our family friend, Marit Francis, is in Memphis at St. Jude Hospital, having her five-year scan for brain cancer.
Everybody knows that I left Apple eight years ago to write the books of my dreams. What a lot of people don’t know is that those dreams started happening because one of my best friends, Jennifer Cone, died when we were in fourth grade. By eighth grade, I knew I wanted to write a book where I could do for us what God couldn’t.
Keep Jennifer alive.
Life got in the way of my dreams. Like a lot of people, I got busy with college, marriage, career and family, forgetting about my dreams.
Then Jennifer started visiting me in my dreams and oddly, I wasn’t scared. Instead, I prayed a whole lot and eventually left Apple to write GRIDLEY GIRLS.
Almost five years ago, we moved to Orono, into a house behind the Francis family. Only they weren’t there. They were in Memphis fighting the battle of their lives with their six-year old daughter, Marit. When they returned, our kids became instant friends and bonding over shared heartache, so did Berit and I.
Berit and Michael have taught me everything I know about St. Jude. I always knew I wanted to give back 10% of my books and company but I didn’t know how I wanted to do that until I met the Francis family. Marit, Berit and the whole Francis family have been an inspiration to me from the moment I met them.
When my day was shifted by a phone call like this – especially at a time when I was feeling so vulnerable, so scared to be putting my whole life “out there” like this – I am reminded that GRIDLEY GIRLS isn’t just a book. It isn’t just the fictionalization of my life.
It is a living, breathing message of hope to anyone who’s lost a loved one and wants to keep them alive, even if just in their hearts. It is a message of love to girls who may experience shame or regret for choices they’ve made. It’s a message of peace to mean girls (past or present) who want to heal their wounds and be nice again. It is a message of acceptance to anyone who may feel “different” or “not normal” in our society. It is a reminder that with God, all things are possible.
I just received an email, as I am writing this post, that Marit’s five-year scan has come back stable. Glory Hallelujah! Little MarMar has officially hit the five-year mark. I could not be happier for Marit, Berit, Michael, Evan, Carter and Crosbie. The healing has been happening for five years, but now, it can really begin.
Because with God, all things are possible.
Y.A.L. from,
A Very Grateful Meredith Carlin First
