What a gift
During my years of worship and community here at Christ Church Cathedral, I of course have made many wonderful friends, as you have. These days I am remembering one whom you may never have met; so let me introduce Jane to you as I reminisce about her and recount some of our CCC adventures together.
We all met Jane in the early 90s when she began to regularly worship with us here at the Cathedral. Born in Toronto, Jane had studied pharmacology in Kingston at Queens before deciding to study medicine in Montreal at McGill. Her marriage had ended and she was entering the definitive adventure of her life… practicing her medicine as an internist without her eyesight.
I was flabbergasted when I first met Jane. She was younger than I and extremely gregarious and energetic. She loved a great story and a good laugh. Jane listened carefully to others and could always share their joy, pain, and other predicaments: all this with no eyesight and really no obvious self-pity about her life as a young, talented and blind professional woman.
We were lower Westmount neighbours and soon became fast friends. We often drove to church together, attended concerts with friends and even gave dinner parties together.
Jane liked to host parties, I think, because she knew her way around her own spaces and this meant she could relax into entertaining and music-making (she loved playing the piano) more easily. She was a skilled boss-lady and we would all follow her directions in arranging for the shopping and other preparations-- i.e. cooking and serving a 4 to 5 course dinner without a hitch (George Baylor was usually in charge of everything oven-baked.) Laughter abounded at Jane's gatherings, laced with introductions of new friends as well as complicated discussions around the table.
Following one such successful dinner party-- which by the way was served on the floor spread with linen cloth and napkins because Jane's living room table had been sent out for leg repairs--she and Marilyn Taylor and I began to brainstorm an idea for a Christ Church Cathedral discussion group we dubbed "Food for Thought". It became a nifty time of fellowship each Sunday in the bright Fulford anti-lounge between the two morning services, calculated to be convenient for both congregations. We were usually 12 or 13 folks who enjoyed digging into the appointed lessons of that Sunday. The venue was casual with coffee and donuts we picked up en route. The discussions were lively, enabling all to ask… whatever! Our doubts, questions, beliefs were all shared with ease and respect. We enjoyed the fellowship. We continued to enjoy Food for Thought for at least two academic years.
One year Jane and I had together accepted the responsibility of Chancel Guild Chair. I remember the day we received our briefing of the sacristy space from George Deare. Again I was flabbergasted by Jane: during our complete but relatively brief "walkabout" in that 16 x 16 room-- in and out of drawers, shelves and cupboards, observing linens, wines, candlelabra and brass cleaners with rags-- Jane and I learned the functioning of that space. After that, Jane never asked for details to be repeated. However I often deferred to her for information I needed!
As her juvenile diabetes began to take its toll on all her body systems, Jane became more tired and dependent which finally meant she would move back "home" to Toronto, near family and into a more prescribed medical practice. Her Avenue Road apartment was gorgeous, housing her grand piano and plenty of space for visitors… but no dinner parties anymore. Her puppy was clever company and weekend trips to the family cottage afforded her the relaxation she loved to enjoy and provide for others.
I enjoyed meeting Jane's many dear friends. I learned to understand some internal medicine concepts while reading her tough texts to her. I observed her optimism which always trumped the reality of her blindness. I listened as she would say "I see what you mean!" or "Let me see that apple" or "I think I see it over there". She would actually say "see". At first I was puzzled by that but now I know that I learned to see more carefully and clearly by knowing Jane. She could see with her mind and heart. What a gift.
