Hello, Readers.
It's a beautiful fall here in the Great Lakes Region.
The skies always start the story--
There are two weeks of every October
when you can capture it just right
from atop Paul Weitz Stadium.
As the marching band readies their instruments
for their half time performance,
the crowd watches the first show of the night
far above the Friday night lights.
The cloud cover makes it all the more intriguing.
The gray holding up
golden oranges and reds
give way to brilliant bursts of pink and purple
Even after the colors fade to black,
the glow lives on in the smiles
of the new King and Queen, crowned at last week's game.
The football season continues tonight
with a home game against Meadville.
I'm sitting this one out tonight.
This may come as a surprise to the Regular Readers
as I love Huskie football!
The end of the blog will explain.
One of the biggest surprises growing of the season
was our late blooming dahlias.
The magenta ones have grown so large,
I can't use my swing chair!
We also were surprised to find deep reds,
sunny yellows,
and a color appropriately named Sunset.
The leaves are turning,
some flowers fading,
others just coming to life.
All doing exactly what they were designed to do.
It all works together somehow.
Life is a wonder,
isn't it?
This morning
I came across a post
from an old student
who revisited the Middle School
he once attended,
and where my teaching career began.
He was participating as a presenter
in a health education program,
now as a grown adult--
a mental health counselor.
He wrote with honesty about it being an emotional experience for him,
revisiting the place where he was developing in his teen years.
With permission,
I am sharing a few excerpts from that post,
which I believe will be helpful
to anyone raising or teaching children and teens.
I knew going back to my hometown would be mentally challenging -
it always is. It's only 30 minutes away, but in a lot of ways, it's also years away.
I really didn't want to go.
Not because of the event itself,
but because I knew I'd have to confront a version of myself
I hadn't thought much about lately.
And, honestly, I wasn't sure how I'd feel when I saw him.
I spent a lot of time wondering whether I was enough of something.
Funny enough,
interesting enough,
charismatic enough,
good-looking enough,
whatever enough.
I'd look at other people and see
all the things they had going for them,
then compare those things to whatever I thought I was missing.
I went to a mental health fair today to help other people,
and ended up being reminded of some things
about my own mental health that I am still working through.
I guess the biggest thing I'm taking away from today
is that the kid who never really felt seen
grew up to be someone who tries hard to make sure other people are.
I spent the afternoon in New Castle, PA
paying last respects
to my cousin, Jeff
and his family.
Jeff woke up with a headache in August,
and died October 3rd
of a deadly glioblastoma
and complications that it caused
rapidly and severely to his physical body.
His kind soul lives on
in his sons and their families,
his wife of 32 years,
and his sister, Janice,
just 51 weeks younger than he.
As C.S. Lewis wrote,
Jeff's legacy will continue,
because he made all who knew him
feel safe,
seen,
and loved.
My hope for Jeff's Heaven
is that it is filled with fat fish to catch,
and bridges loaded with geocaches to find.,
and of course,
lots of barbeque.
The Today Show had a segment yesterday
on a new treatment on the horizon for glioblastoma,
see below.
10-8-26 Today Show segment HERE
Jeff Heasley
March 30, 1971--October 3, 2026
He enjoyed fishing, BBQ competitions, and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. Jeff was a member of the Gripers Club.
Eloise
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