Peter Walsh and Ken Greenblatt are “The Mans!”
Last night I went to a dinner in support of the “Declutter for the Diviney’s” fundraiser being held tomorrow. Honestly, I was not really looking forward to leaving Ryan. It was causing me a ton of stress all day.I wondered how much the world had changed since I became a home-bound hermit. Would I still possess enough social skills to make it through the evening? Could I carry the conversation? If not, could I fake it? Maybe I could just blog my end of the conversation in real-time…
Turns out, I was not the center of attention. My ego might have suffered, but I was soooooo grateful. Peter Walsh and Ken Greenblatt took the lead. At one point I double-checked to make sure I wasn’t wearing my invisibility cloak.
www.magazine.continental.com
Now, I told Peter and Ken I wouldn’t blow their cover. Yet, I lie. So, prepare yourself for the honest-to-Peter Walsh-truth… they are good men. Truly caring individuals who are looking for nothing more than to help Ryan. It restores my faith in Californians!
Declutter Harem
The women who are responsible for pulling this all together made my heart melt. I actually had to excuse myself from the table to gather myself in the bathroom. No, I wasn’t drinking…
They each spoke, in turn, of how they contributed to the event. In awe, the enormity of their unselfish combined and coordinated effort took my breath away. I admire each and every one of these fine ladies.
Now, why would I call them a harem? Well, they were perhaps one of the most attractive group of women gathered in one place at one time. So, you know, it played into my deviant fantasy. That damned Peter Walsh keep popping up in my mind with a crown and scepter and was ruining it! Me? Well, I was the court jester.
Anyhow, Sue would text me, asking me how it was going. I played it off as estrogen hell. There was no way, at least until I arrived home, that I was going to tell her I was in womanly bliss! Best to put as much time between it as possible.
Hmmm, I think I’ll be needing that invisibility cloak now.
I was so honored to be one of the MANY volunteers on Saturday and to be a semi-participant over the last several weeks as the donations poured into our office at Long and Foster in Ashburn. It was absolutely overwhelming, and I could not imagine how this entire fete could possibly come together. BUT IT DID! I give great credit to the Harem (your words!) for the incredible job they did. It was an fabulous success…an example of how a community can come together. On another note, I love the humor in (most of) your blogs…laughter is one of those things that definitely keeps us grounded and going forward. God bless the Diviney family. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Mr. Diviney,
My name is Connie Lovelace and I am from Pittsburgh, Pa. My sister-in-law is Jennifer Lovelace. Through her, I became acquainted with your son’s story and have tried to keep up with his progress. It is apparent what an amazing family you have and a beautiful son in Ryan. I cannot even attempt to imagine how this has impacted you and your family. I just wanted to let you know that I have been praying for all of you daily and to let you know that I am just one of I’m sure countless people whose lives and heart have been touched (even though I do not know you personally) by the grace, strength and love that you generate just by being who you are. I will continue to pray for you and your precious son in hopes that one day he will open his eyes and come back to you. I feel so humbled when I read your families messages that you so unselfishly share and it is a constant reminder to me that I can be so much better than I am. May God continue to bless you and yours!
God Bless the women that oraganized today’s fundraiser. It was AMAZING. There was endless hours or organization, sorting, tagging, and those smiling volunteers who helped all day. I did not recognize any of them, but I was certainly taken back by the community effort here. You should ALL sleep well tonight, for you endless commitment to the Diviney cause.
I wish you all good luck at the fundraiser. Here I sit reading this thinking about little Matthew in the Childrens Hospital in Richmond and being upset that they were cutting his fingernails and cut the end of his little finger and had to put 3 stitches in it. Man was I upset, even though it was an accident. His G Tube got pulled out while they were giving him his bath and then he had to go back to another hospital to have it put back in and it all just tears my heart out. The Children’s hospital takes wonderful care of Matthew but when you hear of something like this, it always upsets you. I know Ryan is going through the same horrible hurdles that Matthew went through in the past and I pray that Ryan will continue to improve. I always read your blogs and just think about Matthew going through these same things. Keep your chin up and know that you’re doing an excellent job taking great care of your special son, Ryan.
Love to you, Ryan and your family.
Bonnie
“Anyhow, Sue would text me, asking me how it was going.”
This is called a wife’s sixth sense. Practically all of them have an uncanny supernatural ability to detect (even from miles away) when their husbands are “distracted.”
Way to keep him on his toes, Sue 😛
Ken,
Somehow I feel your social skills are still up to par, especially if they are anything like your ability to write with humor and grace. The declutter event has been a labor of love for all involved. From the gift of all the women of Long and Foster, all of the volunteers who are so gratefully giving of their time, and the rest of the amazing people who bring their love for “our” Ryan to the table. I hope to have the honor to meet Peter and Ken tommorow. This story and your family’s affect on so many is turning from anger towards the men that attacked Ryan to one of showing the world the love of so many good people in this world. I hope you feel this to! Much love~
Hi Ken!! I am so glad you had a good time last night!! LOL about being a hermit and pondering if you could blog your way through the evening. Somehow, I think you’re the kind of person who could finesse just about any situation!! The group of ladies about whom you speak are pretty much amazing on every level. In addition to being simply gorgeous, they are driven to making good things happen in this community. Thank you to every one of you who has helped to make this event happen for Ryan and his family. You have my absolute respect and deepest gratitude!! As for Peter and Ken, I’ll end with this: I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Thank you Thank you for being the compassionate and caring people you are !!! The world isn’t such a dark place after all. Thank God for people like these ladies, Peter and Ken, and all who make life better for other people.
Ken, I so want to say something equally humorous, but the fact is that each and every one of us that is doing anything for the ‘Declutter Event’, big or small, is so happy & proud to do it for Ryan. (Sorry, I guess there goes the ego-buster again.) This is going to be such an awesome event and we’re hoping to make a bunch of money to help ‘our boy’. Lots of love & hugs to Ryan!
And if we can’t contribute to the event’s success in person, there is always that address to the right for donations. Thank you, thank you to the many volunteers who are working their butts off!!
made my donation in lieu of being out of state. Hope others will do the same!