Recently, a friend of mine (Cathy) started blog site (using blogspot.com) for a colleague that is being treated for cancer.  It is called Art for Adrienne (pseudonym).   This is a use of social media I had not encountered until now.  As an invited participant, I am encouraged to contribute artifacts of anything in my everyday life that strikes me as artistic and/or meaningful:  photos, quotes, poetry (found or created) film clips, pod casts, youtube videos, snippets of conversations, photos from trips, art projects, family stories, ect.  I love to look at the posts.  They are a brilliant demonstration of insight, caring, beauty, humor, wit, meaning, and joy.  The variations are enormous.  Some posts are long, some complicated, some simply a thought or a word.

Occasionally our stricken colleague comments, but that is not expected.  We know she is weak and tired.  The purpose of the blog is to let her know she is on our minds.  Unlike flowers, the posts never wilt, and the “visits” are not taxing on her. She chooses when to go on the site, day or night.  Her few comments indicate she loves the site.  With permission, I am sharing some of the posts below:

Dear Adrienne, Greetings again from my beach in Nicaragua.  I’ve embarked on an art project I thought you might like.  Before I left, I was given candles that look like pebbles.  I brought them with me.  I have been photographing them at dawn and dusk.  I hope you like them.  Sam

Hi Adrienne, we have arrived in Corsica , France.  It’s beautiful here.  Thinking of you.  Jason

Dear Adrienne,

One of my friends that I met in Banff hosted a “Visioning Board Party” recently. 

The idea was to collage a collection of images that speak to what you vision for your future. Some people choose very literally, some people just choose images that attracted them without too much interpretation in the process and then they looked at the final product for meaning. I ripped out enough images to cover at least three big bristol board pages and so had much to select from when filling up just one. 

Here is what I created. What do you see in my vision?

Hugs, Nicky

Do you have a stricken or needy friend (with internet access) who may benefit from such a blog?  It costs nothing to set up, but may have very meaningful results.