Diarrhea (revenge)- Behind the Scenes FightwithPayton
Channel: Forgotten Prophets Studio
Date: 17/09/2017

Far too often we avoid difficult subjects. We talk around the issues that trouble us. We fill up conversation with small talk. We talk about the weather, our favorite books or tv shows, or sports. We do this for several reasons: We are uncomfortable sharing intimacies. We believe there will be time to catch up later. In some cases, for those of us who are deep thinkers, it is because we are in denial and in a state of rebellion against a race we run knowing we will lose. I tell my children that there are two words that exist: The world as it is and the world that we have created. The world as it is does not care about us. Hurricanes don’t care about our vacation plans. Tornados don’t care about the new release of Star Wars. Cancer does not care about our age. The world “as it is” shows no favor. It is apathetic in all of its actions. 
     When I heard about Payton’s diagnosis I was numb. I was overwhelmed by the cold reality that my 11 year old nephew was now in the crosshairs of what I see as a grave injustice. You see, philosophically I accepted the truth of this world. I accept the world “as it is” did not seek out Payton. Leukemia didn’t choose him over someone else. There was nothing he did or didn’t do. He didn’t open a cursed box, or stumble upon a wicked witch. He came to the card table of life and was dealt an awful hand. I find myself asking how can I tell my family that we can make it through this battle? 
     I believe I can tell them this because I have faith. I have faith in the world we have created, but even more than faith I have evidence. We are alive in a time where we have changed the course of human history in such a beautifully profound way. In the face of adversity and separation, we have built devices for unity and community. We have brought magic to the world. We have learned to fly, drive, and communicate from across the planet. We have shown the world “as it is” that we are not bound by it. We have done this for the sake of a kinder and just world and we continue to do so for our children and all future generations.
     I see this when I look at the Davis family. I have seen his mother, Cerita, work until exhaustion to provide for Donovan, Sheridan, Madison and Payton. I have experienced the love she has for our family through her compassion and insight when I lost my mother and again when my son almost lost his life. She came to hold my hand by his bedside and helped me to hold back the tears in favor of faith. She has stood by us all when we were down. When she had little she still continued to give. It is in her nature. 
     Now, it is our turn to be there for her, Payton, Sheridan, Donovan, Maddison and the entire Davis family. Cancer does not affect one person. It affects us all. It is time to show them the world we can create. It is time for us to bring to life all the beauty and hope we can as one of us walks this difficult path. While I will never give up hope for Payton’s recovery, I believe it important not to focus of the disease, but to focus on life. We are not fighting against death. We are fighting for life. We are fighting to give him the strength to carry on when the journey becomes to difficult to bear. When I went to the hospital to visit Payton just before he began chemo, I asked his mother what his favorite book happened to be- they all have an insatiable love of literature. Well, as many little boys, his favorite book happened to be a graphic novel by the name of Bone. When I brought him his present,we talked for a little while, then I asked him if he wanted his present. He was surprised. Genuinely surprised. I explained why I had gotten him the gift and that before he opened he had to listen to what his long winded uncle had to say. “I got you this book not because you wanted it. I got if for you to remind you of the joy this world has to offer. I got if for you because when things get hard and you want to give up, which will happen, you promise that you will look over at this and remember the happiness you felt when you finished it. I want you to remember all of the stories you haven’t read, all the places you haven’t seen, and I want you to fight.” 
He opened it and smiled the biggest smile I had ever seen on his face, then promptly ignored me. If I am not mistake it was almost thousand pages and he finished it 3 days. Payton is a beautiful and inquisitive young boy with a great sense of humor.  We will walk by his side through this fire. We ask that you help him. We ask that you assist us in showing him the power of our community and the kindness the world has to offer. 

    https://www.gofundme.com/fightwithpayton