A Close Encounter of the Toy Story Kind

I've blogged about the story several times, but when my doctor told me in January of '05, that I had two weeks to two months to live, and that there was no chance of further chemotherapy, since my body was so weakened and affected by the medical treatment, it was a sad time.

By February, my Annie says this to me one morning: "Jon, if you could go anywhere, where could we go for a few days."

Without hesitation, I put my order in for Disneyland, and Kristin and Jack came with us. It was an incredible trip.

Jack was only two, so his walking and running sometimes resulted in a fall. When he saw Woody and Jessie, he ran to them. He ignored the line. He was so excited to see these characters from a movie he loved.

I bought him the character at the end of the trip, and as we waited for our shuttle, he held it tightly, as if he thought that easing his grip might mean losing it. He still has it, although the hat comes off sometimes.

It was the beginning of many trips to California, not because it's the only place to go, not because it's the best place to go, but because it brings back so much positive energy: good vibes. It's the memories of my own children and my grandchildren, and it's the realization that when all is well with them, nothing else matters.

That's what I hope they remember about me.

The Woody and Jessie thing was monumental for Jack, and the trip, along with my swimming and my desire to be with my soulmate and grandchildren and children, were key to my being here today.

Victor Frankl wrote this book entitled Man's Search For Meaning, detailing the thing that ensured his survival during his experience in a Nazi Concentration Camp.

I refuse ever to suggest that the horrors he experienced are like my small concerns, but I do know that like him, I owe my survival to the desire to remain with loved ones.

That fact possibly explains why Disneyland is a special place for me, and why it will always remain that way. The memories are so rich there, and this summer day's experience with those Toy Story characters made me remember what keeps me here.