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Tuesday, Dec 14th, 2004 - 12:41AM




Friends had been telling me for years that Big Sur would be one of my favorite places on earth. They proved to be right. But the intoxicating beauty wasn't the only reason I fell so deeply in love with this miraculous place.

While driving through the heart of Big Sur for the first time last July, I caught a quick glance of a woman sitting in a wheelchair at the foot of a river. Despite the fact that she was bound to this chair, she appeared unusually content surrounded by her family members as they fluttered about the river.

I drove past, but couldn't shake the image of that woman. So I quickly turned the car around, parked and walked to her. I introduced myself and awkwardly stated that I felt compelled to meet her, but couldn’t explain why. She attempted to grab my hand, but couldn't raise her arm. When she tried to speak, only quiet, struggled, unintelligible mumbling emerged from her lips. Her granddaughter quickly walked over to introduce me to her “grand-mother, Bam", then she proudly announced Bam was her favorite person on earth. Bam proceeded to mumble words to me and her granddaughter interpreted everything she said. It was if she was having an everyday conversation with a long lost friend.

I sat with Bam for sometime. She told me "Bam" was not her real name, but her chosen name. With her grandaughter's aide, I learned all about Bam's hard, but happy life.

After thirty minutes with this woman, I felt closer to her than most people I’ve known for years. Her strength and bravery to live, laugh, smile and continue on as if she hadn’t been debilitated by a crushing stroke moved me beyond words.

I dream of returning to that river every day, but sadly, Bam cannot. I’ve kept in touch with her granddaughter over the months and I’m pained to write that her condition has taken a turn for the worse. But I know Bam is meeting these difficult new challenges with the courage, dignity, strength and humor that most could not even imagine.





Posted by Susan B.
Archived under: 35mm
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