A Letter From Maggie

Howard and Peace - From A Friend

This was sent to us by email by a friend

Hello Paula, I stopped by Mount de Sales this morning on my way to work to see the Peace Pole that Howard created and gave to the school. What a wonderfully crafted monument to peace!

It was about 6:20 or so, and in the cool morning air, in those few moments left before daylight takes over from night, I climbed the hill and took some time to reflect on what his creation means. Peace is in short supply in this world. Yes, a lot of us are fortunate to have peace in our lives to varying degrees. But to think of those who don't should give those of us who do pause to consider what having peace in our lives on a daily basis means for us. Quite introspective, don't you think?!?

One thing that always amazed me about Howard was the casual elegance he always seemed to have; the easy-going way about himself that shone through in everything he did, even in the busiest times that I was privileged to be near him. I fondly remember him coming over to the Carlton Way house to hang that art deco light fixture you so graciously relinquished from your home so that we could add it to ours. It hangs in our dining room today. We needed a few parts to be able to hang and wire it properly, and Howard and I made a quick trip to the hardware store to get them.

Off we went, Howard driving, and sparing no time in getting us there! I remember him saying he had some other things to do that day, and I was grateful for the assistance he provided in hanging the fixture so I was cognizant of his time, not wanting to take any more than was necessary so he could get about the rest of his day. Even then, he was meticulous in taking care
of the smallest of details to make sure we had everything we needed to do the job. That was my first time being around Howard when it was just him and I, and recall enjoying the time I spent with him, the conversations we had along the way, and learning from him as we hung the light. To be like Howard means you have peace in your life. I hope we all can be as fortunate.

Paul Midkiff's invitation to stop by and see the peace pole is one I'm glad I accepted and I hope everyone who was at Howard's memorial takes time to do the same. I will always think of Howard when I think of peace.

Peace be with you!

Love and Prayers,

Joe

Bumba's Song

bumbas song...
bumbaaa yeah - bumbaaa your eyes like the stars at night your smile like an upside down rainbow yeah, rainbow with your pretty wife honey you'r the luckiest man in the world. you are like the fairies above lifting you up from the ground . they sprinkle the dust all over your head which makes you special and unique. bumbaaa yeah bumbaaa you are the luckiest man in the worldddddd. you make me smile just thinking of you. when the days go byyyyyyy I like the way that you don't care because you have us. bumbaaa yeah bumbaaaaaaaaaaaaa we love you.

By katie Meitz

dear bumba,
we will always remember you by a strong tough hardworking man and no matter what, we will never forget you. You were a kind lovin man. You were like the flowers that bloom, the horses when they win a contest but most of all i think you were a cat because when i saw you smile i thought i could hear you puurr and how you loved us all and lastly how you would snuggle up with the luckiest woman in the world yours and always will be honey but probably most of you know her as Paula. I love you and I will always remember you. ps if resurrect I'm positive you and honey will meet again as.....CATS Read by Katie at Howard's Celebration

Dear Daddy

Dear Daddy, Did I ever tell you enough how thankful I am that you and Momma chose me to be your daughter out of pure unconditional love, the luckiest little girl in the world
Dear Daddy, Did I ever tell you the times you were working so hard to give us everything we needed that I missed you
Dear Daddy, The times you spent driving , simply to allow me a mere glimpse of a horse because you knew the love I felt for them, I never forgot.
Dear Daddy, You always said my first words besides Paul was 'I want a horse" and at the age of 3 you and Momma made it a reality which began my life long passion of horses
Dear Daddy, Did I ever say enough the about the impact your love for Momma and hers for you touch every breath I take
Dear Daddy, You and Momma allowed my friends to call you their other parents and friends and that has always made me soooo proud
Dear Daddy, Did I ever tell you that when I hert the two of you, my heart broke and I am sorry
Dear Daddy, Did I ever tell you enough the depths of my appreciation for the gifts you gave me that allowed me to be the person I am today
Dear Daddy, Did I ever tell you I would have traded my life for yours in an instant because the world still needs your love and spirit for life
Dear Daddy, Did I ever say to you that of all the people in the world, you should have never had to suffer one econd
Dear Daddy Did I ever say enough thank you and thank God for having blessed me having you as my father
Dear Daddy, Did I ever say enough, I love you with all my heart
Dear Daddy, I called on you for so many things and now as I call to you in Heaven please continue to give me strenght and your guidence
Dear Daddy, I envy you now because you ar in heaven beside Our Father on streets of goldwith angels singing
Dear Daddy, I will be by your side again God promises and until that glorious day I pray you finally realize the depths of the love, respect and pride I have for you. Worldly words were merely not sufficent
Dear Daddy, Try not to shake up heaven too much as you reunite with your buddies
Dear Daddy, I have also learned that we must live each and everyday with no regrets
Dear Daddy, Did I ever say enough?
Thank youCandi

Howard Knight's published obit. More to come...

Howard Blewster Knight, 76, died at High Noon on Easter Sunday after a valiant battle with cancer. He was born in Eatonton, GA on September 7th, 1932 to the late Rev. Blewster Knight and Sallie Perry Knight. Survivors include beloved wife of over 51 years, Paula Pullen Knight, son, Paul Howard (Delise) Knight, Daughters, Claudia Candice (Jay) Lapointe, Cheri Rebecca (Jeff) Meitz, Grandchildren, Karlene Lapointe, Austin Meitz, Katie Meitz, and great-granddaughter, Ella Grace Lewis. Also, brother, Perry Knight, of Lakeland, Florida and sister, Nelle Howell, of Dublin, Georgia along with nieces, nephews, and extended family.

After growing up in Dublin, Georgia, Howard attended Mercer University, where he received his degree in Chemistry. Following his service in the U.S. Military as an air traffic controller, Howard became plant manager of the Mrs. Filbert’s Foods, The Charles Miller Company (maker of Mary Jane Candies), then owner of Southeastern Silver Company until his retirement.

Join us for a Celebration of Howard’s life to be held in his Gardens of Overlook at the family home, 3855 Overlook Avenue, Macon, Georgia, on Friday April 17th from 5 till 8 pm with an open tribute service at 6pm.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Make-A-Wish Foundation or The Children’s Hospital of Macon.
More life details and stories at our website: www.howardandpaula.com
Hart’s Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

This is a small obit for the paper. More stories coming soon.

The rebirth of our Knight

Today, Easter Sunday at high noon our Knight found perfect healing.
Peace and Love to all of you who've so faithfully stayed with us through this journey.

More stories of life coming soon.

Update

Just a quick update for everyone. Howard is resting comfortably today after spending Monday at the Medical Center to have 1600 cc's of fluid removed from his chest. The pressure from the fluid made breathing difficult over the weekend. Our next appointment is scheduled for Friday with a new oncologist at the same center we have been going to.
We are putting together a list of questions that Howard will have for him so he can decide which path to take.
We are keeping things pretty quiet around the house and Paula is staying by Howards side.
Please continue to send prayers and good thoughts our way.
Love from all of the Knights

The Crossroads

Dear Friends,
This is a letter to all of you who have so faithfully followed our journey thus far. Still and always we thank you with all our hearts and are forever grateful every day of our lives that you are there. Time has been short for writing of late as each new day seemed to bring challenges and surprises for us.
We will try to describe a bit of where our journey has taken us over the past two weeks. We have long ago begun to feel that we should've had more medical expertise to deal with this particular disease and the treacherous decisions which must be made. After the the fourth chemo treatment things seemed to go steadily downhill until the WBC dropped impressively and the infection developed. (They later referred to the infection as a pneumonia and we were given a very powerful antibiotic which seemed to have many pronounced side effects...everything seeming a "swap-off" though this drug was obviously the right one for the job.)
Following the CT that we had spoken to you about earlier it was revealed yet another pleural effusion which needed prompt attention. We were scheduled immediately after release from the Center to go to Coliseum Northside where large amounts of fluid were withdrawn. The chemotherapy treatment had been cancelled, of course. Following the fluid reduction the breathing difficulties still did not diminish as we had anticipated. While the blood levels showed the results were much more positive, (no longer the low WBC,), the lungs this week showed another large pleural effusion. We soon learned there would there be no chemotherapy ... the doctors and nurses came to us with the very unsettling news that perhaps this combination of chemicals was not working for shrinking of the fluid which continued to accumulate around the lung. We were told in some detail which other chemotherapy treatments could be used and what the percentages of success on lung cancer could be expected.
The doctor ordered immediately another procedure for the removal of the fluid ...this time done at the Georgia Heart Center. This was the priority of the day. We returned home last night relieved by the success of the procedure....but heartbroken as we realized we have truly come to The Crossroads of this journey. Our Knight must soon choose which of the roads he should now take.As we face these decisions and wonder which direction to take we know that we are in the flow of things as they must be meant to be. We consider now what we "should have - could have - would have" done had we known the outcome thus far, as we humans do upon such occasions. We trust that this time will be a time of even greater connection to God's healing powers without the chemical intervention....and we pray that this TIME is a "gift" in its' own special way as we know it to be within our hearts.Howard has been advised to rest for a few days and recover from the latest procedure before returning to the Center to visit our new oncologist. ( Another bitter pill to swallow was learning that our Dr. Linda Hendricks is now on a "Health Break" and has an undetermined date of return to practice. She was actually THE REASON we had chosen this group of oncologists. Learning of her departure caused our Knight and his crew great emotional distress, along with the possibility that there may indeed not be as effective a chemotherapy drug for treatment at this time.)
We pray these days of rest will afford our Knight peace and much needed rest for making his future plan....whether to receive more chemotherapy treatments or to choose to rely solely on God's healing powers. And on this night and all those to come PLEASE continue your vigil to see him "though." Our next scheduled visit with our newly assigned oncologist is on April 10....a date that right now seems such a long way away.
Peace...Love to All

Scan for a MAN

We could feel your prayers and your loving thoughts even as we got up this morning to keep our CT Scan appointment at Coliseum Northside Hospital. We again felt that sense of Peace that comes knowing you are there. Upon arrival at the hospital there was no one in the waiting room, another plus since we are ever mindful of the low WBC at this time lowering resistance to "bugs." An even nicer than normal radiology technician took charge of the Knight in a very caring manner and made him as comfortable as possible throughout the procedure. By nine o'clock Paul had us home again in the comfort of Howard's favorite chair. Howard commented that "the anticipation of this test was nothing compared to trying to drink THAT CONCOCTION before going in for it!" The sense of relief that comes after a dreaded procedure is ever sweet. As we write this update, Howard's skin tone and his overall condition seem much improved. Upon speaking with a nurse at the Center we learned that the WBC should already be increasing, (knowledge little realized by us that we are truly happy to have now learned.) We look forward to positive results from the scan when we meet with our oncologist on this Wednesday.

On the ride home we were aware of the cherry trees, the azaleas and dogwood trees all breaking into bloom....the promise of spring, Mother Nature's time of renewal. As we all move forward in our journeys we once again wish you all Peace and Love.

The Poetic Architect

Through those blue, blue eyes of Tinsley’s he saw life and people in his own unique way. Although he was an architect by profession Howard and I remember him also as a talented poet expressing his feelings more than once in this particular way. On Howard’s seventieth birthday during a celebration in our garden with friends, he made a toast to Howard….a poem which he had written especially for his older friend. The poem, which is attached here, became one of our favorite remembrances and now hangs framed on our wall here on Overlook so that we can read it every day…and now more than ever Howard feels so honored by his words.

For the past two decades Howard and I have felt extraordinarily blessed to have found ourselves in the midst of the most wonderful community of people on the planet here on Overlook Avenue. We have been a close-knit group, not only as neighbors but as true friends. Here we’ve been two doors away from Kate and Tinsley Matthews our beloved, irreplaceable friends. Their beautiful children, Kathleen and Thomas, have been true gifts to us and our family. They sparkle, lighting our garden and playhouse with their magic and laughter,…befriending us and our own grandchildren, Austin and Katie. And now we are watching as they mature, following the examples set by their Dad and Mom….following their Life Design. Tinsley was…and we feel is still….so proud of his family.

Over the years, through many good times and some sad times as happens with life, Kate and Tinsley were always here for us….as they have been for so many others. They laughed with us and cried with us and two months ago when Howard was diagnosed with lung cancer the two of them had come to us, their words resounding in our ears today: “Howard and Paula, we are going to help you through this process.” As so many embrace Kate, Kathleen and Thomas, we hope in some way to be there also for them through this time. It will be our honor and our privilege. We hope this too would be a part of Tinsley’s carefully drawn plan.

Alert for Circle of Love

Tomorrow morning we are scheduled for the follow-up CT scan to determine Howard's progress thus far. We pray continually for positive results from this test as will be a very vitally important factor in the procedures to be performed during the following days. We are scheduled for another chemo treatment this Wednesday. The past week, following the fourth chemotherapy treatment, has been a far tougher recovery than with previous treatments. And during the end of the week tests showed that Howard's WBC had dropped drastically from the previous check. (This happens, they say, often after several treatments have been administered.) He developed a fever which has lasted for about three days now, causing more weakness and fatigue, but we are grateful that he continues to nourish with as much food and liquid as possible during each day and night.
If you are following our journey tonight please continue to pray as Howard moves forward in his quest for healing. We continually thank you for your beautiful cards, calls, and most of all your constant prayers for healing. Your Circle of Love surrounds us still and lifts us every day of our lives.

Don't Let the Sun Go Down

Howard had patted his tummy about a week ago and remarked: "It's all going right here," referring to some newly acquired weight. "That's NOT where I wanted it!" Paula told him she thought it was actually quite beautiful, our children applauded and added that we'd take it anywhere we could get it, pointing out the newly forming but definite small "love handles." When we arrived at the Center for the fourth chemotherapy session he couldn't wait to get to the scales., He'd worn the same amount of clothes and shoes as to the last visit, just to be sure the weight gain would be accurate.

When he stepped on the digital scale, hoping for at least four pounds more, the happy squeals and clapping began. Howard stepped back, took a deep breath, and smiled broadly. Not just the four pounds hoped for, but an additional beautiful new six pounds had been gained. We advised everyone to buy stock in Ensure and Boost which surely had helped in the campaign waged to put on pounds. "Boogity, boogity" as our Cheri can say when the race is on.

From the reading of the scale to the visit with Gretchen (Dr. Hendrick's Assistant) to the results of the blood tests, including white blood count, kidney function, etc. things went the smoothest to date. Another THANK YOU GOD moment. We needed the positive results of this visit more than ever....earlier in the week we had received some of the saddest news we felt we could endure....a valued friend and neighbor had died as the result of a tragic automobile accident.

We realized again in yet another brand new way our vulnerability as human beings to the fragility of life here on Planet Earth. That we must never let the sun go down without expressing our LOVE and APPRECIATION of the irreplaceable people in our lives. And that being 5l years of age as was our friend, is no guarantee that when we leave home in the morning we will be home for dinner. Nor that being 76 and receiving state of the art chemotherapy treatments for lung cancer will bring us extended years. It is the chance we take....a part of the human condition....lessons in learning to LIVE AND LOVE in the moment.

Peace and Love to All

Before our next visit in the next two weeks with Dr. Hendricks herself an additional CT Scan will possibly be scheduled for determining Howard's progress to date.Please, continue, Dear Friends to hold us close in thought and prayer....as do we you. And as the song reminds us, you have truly been "the wind beneath our wings."

Recipes for a Good Knight

Howard continues to improve a bit each day and his appetite, though not quite what we would like it to be, is better some days than others.  Still he tries really hard to eat the necessary foods to "fatten himself up a bit," he says, though one of his major concerns throughout this experience has been the loss of his muscle tone (something he had worked very hard for throughout the years. The amazing feats he has performed are testament to his strength.) His urgency to heal and regain strength keeps all of us around him continually trying to be creative in providing the highest calorie, best food content items possible for his nourishment. (Hey ,All of you creative friends out there should feel free to send us your ideas for putting on weight.. recipes so welcomed. Conner, you could even ask your friend, Paula Dean and boys  for ideas!!!!!!)) This is, admittedly,quite a new challenge these days when most everyone is so weight conscious...in the opposite direction.  We had a little celebration after our last visit to Dr. Hendrick's office upon seeing the scale up 2lbs.2oz. We hope this will have doubled by the time we visit there again. This seems slowly happening in view of a thirty five pound loss for the Knight who never had a weight problem to consider. 
 
Here's to sweet dreams and sleep filled nights for our Knight....and all you dear ones out there..
We are working now on a new story, from an earlier time, in relation to appetite and food...and sources.  Coming soon to a computer near you, Loved and Loving Ones. Steady in the Boat!!!!!!!!!

The Day the Snow Found Howard

For a while he watched the snowfall from his bed upstairs where he had gone to nap after lunch . Dismissed earlier was the hope that the snow would actually be coming to Overlook though it had been predicted and indeed it had come to areas south and west of Macon...but at the highest point in Macon...there had been no precipitation other than light rain. Howard had remarked that snow falling at our house might just be "too exciting" at this point. We prayed the snow would go to Hartwell, for Cheri, Jeffie, Austin and Katie...we could almost see them .... making their wonderful snow angels. We hoped Katie would wear her galoshes, and Austin would have on his warmest jacket and cap. Maybe Baby Ella would even catch a snowflake in her new little hand too. But Howard's heart reminded him that he so needed the sight of it too. Overlook Ave. had, after all, been the point he and Paula would drive to when their own Paul, Candi and Cheri were small so that they could see the snow, the elevation being perfect for the most accumulation in their area. And Howard the Knight, even in those years, was always determined to seek out the snow, for he loved it he thought, perhaps as much as any other soul in this world.

During Sunday afternoon, as if Mother Nature had prepared the surprise just for him, huge snowflakes began to fall....some as large as half dollars. Howard must see it happen. Normally never waking him from his nap time, we now hurried to open the drapes in the bedroom, lest he miss the sight of it. For a while, still feeling as if in a dream state, Howard watched huge flakes fall through the tall trees outside his window onto the big window sill. He must, he said, get dressed and see the back garden. The ground, the rooftops quickly becoming covered with the magical white blanket that would continue to thicken during Sunday afternoon. The boxwoods scattered throughout the yard, the junipers, the snapdragons and pansies began to give to the weight of the new fallen snow. Mother Nature had once more performed a miracle......just in time. Howard's new eyes seemed to absorb the scene in disbelief .....a new kind of special blessing especially for this southern gentleman.... the sight of snow, as with many other things, looks truly different to a man experiencing chemotherapy. He fully realized the true Miracle of Mother Nature's winter spectacle. While he savored the memories of making "the chase", today was somehow sweeter, more incredible. What would best have described his passion for the sight of it, perhaps the purity...certainly the sheer magnificence of it...........now, today...simply experiencing it once more as a man changed by the recent alteration of his own life experience. And now he realized...what he was seeing through his new eyes was the NOW NESS of life itself...snowflakes, magical suspended crystallized forms, each one uniquely shaped...as with us all....each one holding the secret of the present moment...present moments creating the essence of life itself....all things coming perfectly together to create the whole.

Not only had Howard the Knight found snow...in his own warm house, on his own little mountain, perhaps he had also discovered new reasons for his love of the sight of it....this time the snow had come to him....perfectly timed...perfectly placed. The coming together of all necessary conditions for the formation of snowflakes reminds Howard the Chemist how in the future all things necessary will come together for the cures of human disease. In the meantime, while the seasons come and go, the chase for the cures will continue. We pray that in some special way, our process will help pave the way to those solutions.

And perhaps next winter, God willing, Howard and Paula will chase the snow again. Until then we savor the memories....and embrace the present moments.....and give thanks for each other and you... even more unique in our world than a snowflake.
Peace, Joy, Love

Journeys of the Snowchaser

Howard couldn't remember how many times we'd "chased the snow." It was always a special kind of gift.... to make these treks. He'd seemed driven to search it out wherever that might take them. Seldom did we leave home without eventually seeing snow fall somewhere.... watching the weather channel was something habitually done in winter months.... as routinely as eating meals, and sometimes even ending meals with a plan..... especially if the forecast projected snow in the North Georgia Mountains. "Hey Baby, pack our toothbrushes and let's go north. Snow is coming...gotta hurry."

Most of the time the destination was ultimately the mountains of North Carolina....but once Howard began driving he would simply go with the projected path of the anticipated snowfall.... and often just following his "gut instinct." At least once, admittedly, our "gut instinct" , (even with careful radio monitoring around the oncoming snowstorm...we had driven right into one of the largest traffic jams in our own history.....causing regrettably much worry for our eldest child, Paul and wife Delise.... and in trying to get help by phone from the proper officials, Paul made his first references to us as "his elderly parents" being stranded somewhere in a snowstorm.) We were indeed stranded for many, many hours....but not deterred eventually from going forward. Happy Howard on the road again. Watch out, world! His capacity for fun, his love of life always obvious every day...in every way.....especially in his chasing of the snow.

Once too, in earlier years the two had realized all too late they'd gotten in "over our heads" in a snowfall in Highlands, N. C. A bit over the top even for the most avid snow chasers.This snowstorm left us and many others unable to travel except by foot near our motel, without heat, without food for three days. Then at the mercy of kind restaurant owners across the street we were brought warm food throughout the days. Not even this experience permanently dampened the Knight's enthusiasm for very long. Still the adventurer, the happy trouper.

Sometimes... with what seemed just sheer luck....snows would unexpectedly come to an area when they happened to be in Asheville, or Blowing Rock, N. C....several times on beautiful Mt. Pisgah where there is an Inn at the peak of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The mountain seemed to create its' own storm sometimes, much to the pleasure of snow loving Howard, and we would feel especially blessed finding safe haven at the top of the mountain, relishing the warmth and comfort of our little room, loving the sound of the whistling winds outside our window. "Hey, Baby" Sweet Howard would say," we made it to the top one more time...ain't it great?" Mission accomplished....for now. (The adjoining restaurant which sits atop the very peak of this Mt. Pisgah provides a beautiful view of the mountain range and offers candlelit tables covered with white linens....and our favorite food while in those hills... mountain trout. Usually, Howard the Knight through his renowned form of gallantry could arrange seating by the huge glassed windows. Paula always felt that kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland had only added a bit of spark to his charming manner.)

Once, without a prior plan as was often the case with us, we began our journey and found ourselves driving further and further north.... at least once ending up on Lake Michigan where we drove around the frozen lake watching ice fisherman sit patiently awaiting their catch... ultimately venturing on to see the frozen Niagara Falls, an unbelievable,massive ice sculpture in the midst of winter. Some of our friends questioned our sanity during our escapades and it became a common theme among many to remark that they knew we were headed north if they saw a snow forecast any place in the eastern United States. Still, it seemed, others did sometimes appreciate our sense of adventure.

Having seen the Alps in Switzerland, memories of Grindelwald bold and strong, last Sunday's snow in Macon, GA. was even more welcomed. Life,.... BEING,.... seeing another snowfall....how magnificent the pleasure, a sight never more beautiful than that beheld by Howard's "new eyes" last Sunday outside our bedroom window.

To Be Continued...

Bluebirds on His Shoulders

What a beautiful day in the neighborhood!!!! From the time Howard spotted the two bluebirds this morning in our garden (we believe sent directly from Hartwell, Ga. by daughter Cheri) he felt positive that the third chemo therapy would be beneficial for his body. And so it is...tonight. With his new 2.2 lbs. weight gain, good blood levels, clearing lungs and lessening pain we feel blessed beyond measure. Once againt,thank you, Dear Friends....You are precious also beyond measure. Stand-by for more stories. The Knight has only just begun.

Remembrances - Country Roads - Afternoon Delights

This day, Monday, February 23, our Knight is vastly improved.

Another Thank You, God Moment. Each night we thank Him for gifts innumerable ... both physical and spiritual. Life is now viewed in a more vivid, panoramic way. We remind ourselves it is indeed a time on Planet Earth when.... though we never take one more" Ride " for granted,.... so much is possible. Before this experience we had not truly considered ourselves "elderly", quite amusing in retrospect...everything seeming so relative. We now more fully comprehend the true "preciousness" of life both for the young and the old. Once again we are so humbled and so very grateful for your constant Love and Prayers on this incredible journey. Our unbroken Circle of Love remains constant reassurance on an unfamiliar, often frightening path. You are all more BELOVED than ever even imagined. Thursday we are scheduled for our Knight's third treatment of chemo-therapy. We hold you close and feel your loving presence as we move forward through this process.

This from Sunday p.m., February 2009

Remembrances....it had been a day of reminiscing, a nostalgic journey to simpler Sundays. The yearning for what had been perceived earlier in life as a true sense of freedom seemed very real following the second round of chemo-therapy and radiation earlier in the week.

The memories came rather clearly, interspersed with so many stories that could be told. It was the year 1947. As Howard recalls he was then fifteen years of age.

He cranked his beloved Whizzer Bicycle and left the driveway of home. How he loved the sound of the motor! All through Sunday School and Church at Bethseda Baptist Church, (earlier in the day.....first order of the day on Sunday,) he hadn't been able to get the thought of the Whizzer out of his head. He hoped his Mother, better known in the community as "Miss Sallie"... wasn't picking up on his mental ramblings. “Amazing Grace” perhaps would drown out his thoughts.. After all, he was the son of a Baptist Preacher...from a long line of Southern Baptist ministers. Thinking of motor-bikes throughout a sermon might not be the best of ideas.


The Wind in His Face

As the engine purred, Howard looked back glimpsing his family still in the kitchen...Mother, Aunt Robbie, Sister Nelle...finishing clean-up in the kitchen. A much smaller house, built from the pines grown on the property after the old house burned in l945, now sat where the old plantation house had stood for many years. Howard himself had helped with the construction of the new homeplace. The original house had been constructed of the virgin pines planted and harvested by Howard's Grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Perry. (Grandpa, as they had called him, had died when Howard was around six years old.)

Memories of the Homeplace

Ship-builders from Savannah had earlier come to Grandfather Perry's pine forest to choose timbers for the tall ships being built.
"Once you touch that tree with your ax," Grandpa would tell the shipbuilders, "that tree is yours' ....$25.00 a piece." He had been a very prosperous business-man, managing the land he had acquired just outside Dublin, during his early years. In later years before his death Howard remembers him, sitting on a pine stump just outside the log crib and speaking to people as they went by on their way home....sometimes commenting on how other people "made their livings."

Howard's mental images of the old place, were vivid. Family treasures that had filled the homeplace,(one room called Noah's Ark because it contained two of almost everything,) were lost on that dark day when a fire began in the kitchen fireplace .Beloved playmate and wonderful Sister Nelle, then a teen-ager, was working in the kitchen and had yelled a warning to Howard, his Mother, and Aunt Robbie who were working in a nearby field. (Big brother Perry, mentor and role model for Howard, had graduated high school with honors and gone on to Georgia Tech).

The day of the fire was one young Howard, then twelve years old, would never forget. A house built of heart-pine lumber becomes embroiled in flames within minutes. Family and neighbors had rushed from the fields but efforts to save the house were in vain....a few pieces of furniture, family pictures, etc., were salvaged before the flames engulfed the much-loved home place . Howard remembered. He had learned how things and places could go "up in smoke"....and life would go on perhaps not as planned...but in a brand new way.


The First Ride

With the taste of fried chicken and banana pudding lingering , he proudly revved the engine of his newly rebuilt bike. Pulling him forward was the vision of the roads of Laurens County.....the small city of Dublin, and Dexter. He could smell the creek water where he remembered watching the rescue of a mule years ago. " Free as the wind" he began his trek down Moore's Station Road, past the Buggy House, past the Pine trees originally planted by his Grandfather Thomas Jefferson Perry, past the crib (where Grandpa always stored the big sugar barrels in earlier years, past the woods where Sol, beloved black friend, would carry Howard as a younger child on his shoulders during "coon hunts," )

At the time. Howard recalls, his motorized Bike was one of only four in Dublin. His interest in motors had brought him together with his first Whizzer Motorbike, purchased from a friend who had become uninterested his earlier purchase. As Howard remembers his friend had paid around $100.00 for the bicycle when he purchased it "brand-new." Howard considered his offer of $25.00 quite fair for the second-hand bike....a special prize for a young man with a dream, eager to do the necessary work to make this bike a unique form of modern transportation. He could not wait to begin the restoration...he had envisioned it from the first sighting. BUT it needed a lot of work.

Now it would come to fruition....a motorized bike of his very own....a young Knight's dream. He was "off...off...and away." The ride was even sweeter than he had ever imagined.

He had later purchased from a man “down the road” parts and pieces of two other Whizzer Bikes. He'd brought the bits and pieces home in a croaker bag.... his excitement overwhelming as he planned the rebuilding...a motor for a bike...a faster, more efficient form of getting around. As long as he could remember the fascination with motors had always been there. He seemed, for the better part, self-taught. Much fascinated also with steam engines he would later construct one himself while working for the Miller Company. Later his knowledge of mechanics would aid him in his work with management of two food industries, one Mrs. Filbert's Foods and The Charles Miller Company, creator of Mary Jane Candies....later his own company.

Sightings of Lost Treasure

Ironically, he would learn later, the father of his future bride, Paula, had purchased the dealership in Soperton, Ga., for Whizzer Bikes, along with the dealership for Kaiser-Fraser (sp.) cars, the somewhat futuristic cars from German makers that would prove to be far beyond their time in popularity. In later years, the parts, the motors themselves were discarded from the garage where they were stored after the dealership closed....too bad ....since Howard could have used some of them in restoring an authentic Whizzer Bicycle he purchased at a Great Gatsby Auction in Atlanta. Years later, Paula's Dad and Howard would become close friends. And in the years to follow when he would visit the old tin garage in her parents backyard he would stand and stare at the Whizzer parts and remember...but eventually the parts would slowly disappear in random clearing of "old junk.". Strange the things we toss away to bury in our landfills in order "to bring order" to other places in our lives.

(The Whizzers later disappeared from storage in the Buggy House....possibly upon the dismantling of the building.)

From Whizzer Bikes to Harleys

Later for the Knight's 36th wedding anniversary, his wife, Paula who counted herself one of earth's luckiest women, would give the Knight a much deserved, long-admired Harley- Davidson Motorcycle....a beautiful white classic soft-tail. He would ride it with pride, "free as the wind" until he was seventy years old.....when the two feared, not the lack of skills of a seasoned bike writer, but the possibility of injury to an irreplaceable body. After all, it had been a long, beautiful ride.
.........

Notes of Interest

Eight children had been born and raised there within the walls...many birthed by the beloved freed-slave, Caroline Henderson, (listed in Georgia State Archives), who lived on the farm in a cabin built for her by Grandpa Thomas Jefferson Perry after the War Between the States. Caroline was affectionately known by the family as "Cowline." Wood salvaged by Paul (great grandson of Thomas Jefferson Perry, and wife Delise was reconstructed as a small one room building, now housing chickens at Pineola Farms near Ft. Valley, Ga).

Sallie Perry Knight, youngest of eight children returned to her homeplace with her three small children after the sudden death of her husband, Reverend Blewster Knight, minister of the Eatonton Baptist Church, Eatonton, Ga. Blewster, only thirty-three years of age, had been much loved and admired within the Eatonton Community of Christian faith. The pastor um, then located next to the Baptist Church in Eatonton, had originally been the dwelling of Joel Chandler Harris, famous author and creator of characters such as Brer Rabbit, When Grandpa Perry went to Eatonton for Blewster's funeral service and his youngest child, Sallie, asked: "Whatever shall I do, Papa?" Grandpa quickly answered: "Well, Sallie, you will come home with me. That's exactly what you will do."

The birth of Howard, youngest of the three children, had taken place only six weeks before Blewster's unexpected death from pneumonia which developed following a small surgical procedure for a growth on the shoulder. Grandpa Perry was an elderly man at that time. Aunt Robbie, older maiden sister of Sallie, had resided with her father throughout the years. She quickly became also a loving caretaker of the three young children Sallie brought back to the homeplace. Sallie was a determined, loving, devoted single Mother to her three children and remained at the homeplace until her death in the l980's. Robbie, her older sister, became bedridden for many years. Sallie Perry Knight remained by her side as caretaker until her death in the 1970's.)

Special Blessings from Wisconsin

A very special Blessing Shawl for a Very Special Knight

The Unbroken Circle

A couple of hours before the appointment time for the radiation treatment a peace descended upon us which seemed to embrace us, envelope us. At that point we felt no fear and any apprehension seemed to disappear to be replaced by warm comfort. We knew it was you all and our very loving Creator... lifting us up through our Circle of Love. WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL to Him and to each and one of you with your Gifts of the Spirit. We never felt more surrounded by LOVE than during this time..... feeling your presence as surely as our own heartbeats. Tonight we go to bed with the reassuring words of our young doctor...that this treatment worked well and that while the area of the brain where this lesion occurs is quite complicated to treat, he felt that the tumor could be reduced greatly in size and over a matter of weeks, depending on response of Howard's body...healed. There will be a follow-up MRI in about eight weeks to fully determine the true success of today's treatment. We feel very positive about the success of the procedure. "God worked through your hands," we reminded our young radiology oncologist.

We had...for days...considered all the problems others might be enduring....all the pain, all the stories much more horrific than our own. The little children who suffer through all manner of illnesses, diseases...the poor, the lonely, the homeless.. and always. the ones without faith to help them sustain their strength through the storms of life . Reminding ourselves each day how very blessed we have been... this did not take away the dread of going into such unknown territory. After all, the "unknown" presents all humans with a discomfort not to be denied. But today....our journeying into that place became tolerable...enveloped in His Love and your own ...so generously offered to us. While the Knight is of the bravest among us, your love and prayers strengthened his armor. Thank You...Thank You. You were so surely there with us in that very moment in time.

As we walked into the location of treatment today we were the only patient in the office. There was no one about whose story we might wonder or write. As if set up to spare the Knight further delay in treatment of the small brain lesion... he was immediately ushered into the treatment room. This time alone....this time wearing the mask formed for him weeks before. (Howard was given the mask today to bring home as a souvenir of his bravery....an awesome thing to behold. Another reminder of what a wonderful time it is to be alive on Planet Earth. Perhaps a reminder to someone else at some point who needs some reassurance that we can indeed, through faith and the love of those supporting us, survive previously unimagined experiences.) All in this thing called Life together....we feeling so incredibly blessed to have YOU beside us in this journey. They say...once again we remind ourselves..."there are no coincidences." Be assured...no matter what....we all have each other. The Knight knows that to be a truth tonight as he goes peacefully to bed.....feeling a true measure of healing.

PEACE, JOY, LOVE to each of you.
A very grateful Knight and his Paula
1 Cor.13:13

Gathering of the Circle of Love

Dear Ones....Today is the day of the radiation for the small brain lesion. PLEASE gather hand in hand...we go forward trusting completely God's healing touch through the doctors.
CIRCLE of LOVE gathering....3:00 p.m.
We thank Him truly for your presence in our lives..
Loving You All Dearly

Howard the Knight, Paula and Family
1 Cor.13:13

Wishing You Love

The gentle presence of the man across the way from us made us somehow more comfortable. It was our second round of chemotherapy. He was quite a handsome, elderly African American who had been receiving treatments at the center for eight months. He drives himself to and from the treatments and lives, he told us, about two miles away from the Center.....so "no big deal" he remarked. We learned he had "caddied" for a Macon Candy Company executive in earlier years. (He is now being given a new form of treatment and will receive blood transfusions in the next week or so....and spoke of the fatigue he has experienced after the treatments.) Still his spirit is very visible and life very precious to him...as evidenced by his determination in seeing this "through."

True, it appeared, for all those receiving treatments in adjoining chairs. A female patient of about sixty years of age was receiving her final chemo. The staff joined in a celebration of bubbles blown about her chair and an electronic leopard who performed to the music of "wildthing."We thought it appropriate as we all would be "wildly" happy to be concluding the treatments.

The Center was filled with people, young and old...black and white. Somehow we were all now "family" thrust into a new, uncertain world and an ongoing dreamlike state of consciousness. We still wish to be awakened. The WORLD with all its' complications seems all the simpler now.Nothing seems vitally so important on this level...as we had thought. Aren't we learning this in a "reverse order?" It would be our wish that we could be much wiser, much sooner.

Our thoughtful nurse...now like family to us...also attended our new friend. She offered him candy from a jar of assorted choices kept available for patients...ironically he chose a Mary Jane and a Tootsie Roll. Our Knight, earlier in one of his careers, had been the manager of the Mary Jane Candy Company, so we remembered together some of those busy years. Strange, or perhaps not, how things simply "come together." They say...whoever "they" are...that there are NO COINCIDENCES. It seems to be more and more true.

The Knight and I held hands during the seemingly long period in which we waited for blood level reports to come.The levels must be correct to be given more chemotherapy. Sitting beside each other in the large lounge chairs in a still unfamiliar surround we asked each other how we had gotten HERE. We are learning....things that we never invisioned needing or wanting to know during our lifetimes. "It was," remarked the Knight, "always someone else." We spoke, during our wait, of life....our lives...and how this was never a part of the plan.

We thanked God for each other. Some people do it alone. We are so richly blessed by our children, our friends...even total strangers who somehow pour out their hearts as the story unfolds.

And so...as Valentine's Day approaches...All you precious and dear ones who support this Knight along his journey...WE WISH YOU PEACE, JOY...and MOST OF ALL WE WISH YOU LOVE.

The Long Path

The morning was so beautiful when our Knight walked outside and looked at our garden his first words were "Let's walk to the playhouse." We'd done it a thousand times...walked to the back of the garden where the little house sits amidst trees and vines of ivy. (Directly behind our stone wall which defines the backyard stands the Grotto.....a stone structure built by the Monks of Stanislaus in the early 20th Century. I knew Howard's goal in walking that far would be to look over the wall, beyond the rusty gate, to the structure...always a favorite place for us to hike on beautiful days. The Grotto, built of native field stone from the area, is the last remaining remnant of the Monastic Retreat. It was always the Knight's dream to buy the property and preserve the area....historic trees of magnificent proportion fill the gorge....the meditative path used by the monks winds through the acres of woodlands.....a perfect retreat also for us on many days throughout the years. We welcome the time when we return there....in days to come.)

As we approached the stone pathway the Knight had laid of river stone in former years the walk looked much, much longer...and the decision came soon to simply sit on a bench and enjoy the view...saving the playhouse walk and the Grotto viewing for another day.
He believes that day will come soon....his strength grows day by day...with renewing rest and better nutrition. As we sat he remarked that our garden appeared to have been "a lot of work." The back garden is a tribute to a determined, creative, lover of nature. Our two white felines, Snowboy and DeBleu played around his feet....the happiest they had seemed for days...they too loving his presence in the garden. We gave thanks for such an incredible day in the midst of winter... it seemed a day designed for another celebration of life.
We felt blessed simply to be alive.....to be feeling improved. Things are truly very relative...more so than we had ever realized.

Sweet Sunday on Overlook

We now have had about three nights that were much more peaceful...thank you, God....and to all you have been praying for us.
Today has been one of the more "normal" days in several weeks. We even went out for a ride and a chocolate Sunday. Anticipating the coming week...chemo on Thursday. We have no knowledge yet as to when the radiation will take place, but we are hoping it is delayed for a week or so...if possible.
Pray us through. LOVE you all...and thank you endlessly for your prayers and constant support.

Today brings back memories of other great Sundays. This was a couple of years ago playing ball with Katie.

Some of the Knight's Creations

Howard went to the Medical Center this evening for another MRI in preparation for the Radiation treatment. This was a very precise MRI that concentrated on the area of the tumor. It only took about 10 minutes. He said it was not bad.
Enjoy these pictures of some of Howard & Paula's creations that Candi photographed today.


The Knight's labor of Love



He can levitate columns

and build fairy houses

Here is a great description of the Knight's beautiful enchanted forest sent by a friend.

Tuesday

Dear Paula and Howard

I had an amazing dream this weekend. I found myself in the most enchanted

forest where the fish in the pond blew glass bubbles and the

mushrooms grew large enough to actually be

toadstools and the fairies had their own little

cottage. It all seemed so real - but we know

this is the stuff that dreams are made of!

What a magical place you all have created.

I told my mother it was going to take me a while to recover.

I have traveled the world, but your "backyard" might be my most favorite

place on earth - and the both of you the most

talented dreamweavers. Thank you so much for sharing your

paradise with me - and for my wonderful

treasure which will be my touchstone to my dream of an afternoon.

Much, much love,

Daneen

On a Clear Day

Today the Knight feels much stronger. He got out of bed to a morning of cloudless blue skies beckoning him to rise and shine in a complex, new way of "shining." He felt as if he should put on his armor again and just try it for a few hours. It had laid beside him, slightly tarnished from the many days of fighting the pain which had now become all too familiar. Now it seemed that he must let go and allow the chemicals introduced last week to work through his system. He had remarked in recent months that our bodies are, after all, "chemical plants" engineered for processing whatever we choose or must introduce. This man who understands chemistry beyond the norm has truly begun to process the reality of this experience. And after all, in the mind of a chemist more is understood than normally might be. Chemistry being his own chosen subject as a college major gives him a unique way of forming an analysis. He had become a chemist, he said, because "it was the easiest subject" in which to make straight A's....a brilliant pursuit for a brilliant mind...so his mate has always thought. The thought that occupies his mind for the day is his concern for what progress he might anticipate. His analytical brain moves forward to tomorrow afternoon...when the MRI for the small brain lesion will be done.

A very brave Knight is he. His fabulous children, Paul, Candi, and Cheri, who brought us Delise, Jeffie,,and Jay, our new loving friend, Emanuel, our awesomely wonderful, beautiful grandchildren, Karlene, Austin, Katie..and now great granddaughter, Ella Grace...our big brother, Perry, our Sister Nelle, their families...our extended family of friends who have so blessed our lives...all surround us and form OUR CIRCLE OF LOVE.....lifting us up each day and night...you all make it possible for us to fight the good fight. THANK YOU WITH ALL OUR HEARTS. You cannot be replaced on Planet Earth.

What a wonderful, long healthy life we have experienced. We thank God for it all. Truly we never took a day forgranted....neither did we realize the full extent of an event such as this and the impact on those personally involved and those who love and have loved him. We know your prayers go out endlessly. Don't stop. Inhale the days, the nights....Keep the faith. Know WE LOVE YOU each and every one.

Owen, bless your sweet heart for coming all the way from Maine just to see Uncle Howard. It meant the world to him and to us all. And Nelle...what a Princess of a Sister you are. We look forward to being with all our family in the days to come.

P. S.
Some day soon we will send you a short biographical sketch of some things the Knight has accomplished and the ways he spent so many of his days before this experience.

The Right Reverend

Today was a good day.
Thought you might enjoy this note from our cousin whom we call Hunting Man.

The Right Reverend
A funny thing happened the other day. A truck went past the house, a box fell off the truck. I went out and picked it up to see what it was. There was no name or any way to identify who it belonged to, so I opened it. Inside were two bottles of scotch. I opened one and tried it, and it was absolutely heavenly. The were identical, and I remembered that you said that you liked the smokey scotch, so I am giving this bottle to you.

In exchange, I would like to ask a small favor. A family cousin (Whose name is Howard Knight, he and his wife came to Steve and Emily's wedding) has just discovered that he has cancer of the lung, and it is spreading into his back. The next time you talk to your boss, would you put in a good word for Howard. Not that he would undergo a miracle cure (although we hope for that), but that he would be granted the strength and courage to be the dignified gentleman that he has been all of his life, and that he could tolerate the pain. A quick word for peace and understanding for his wife and kids wouldn't hurt anything either. You get to keep the bottle of scotch whether you are able to do this or not, because I was giving it to you before I found out about Howard.

Thank you very much, and I hope you find this scotch enjoyable.

CW King

WHAT SUPERBOWL?

Sleeping seemed to be the priority of the day ,even during an event that had been much anticipated in former years. Our Knight, this year, neither cared who was playing nor who was winning. The chemo treatment on Friday had taken its' course...fatigue was the order of the day.
He had watched short segments of the game and sat for a long period in his recliner which gives him comfort for an hour or so at the time. That being as it was we all gave thanks for his rest, free of the nausea which so often accompanies the chemo treatments. We count our blessings, however small.
Monday was a dark day in many ways, but the sleep came still for hours at the time. However, during the waking times Howard ate and drank much more food and liquid...another good thing.
Reading on the bottles of Ensure that it helps build muscle has helped him develop a taste for the nutruitional drink. He has them in all flavors and we are encouraging just as much water as he can tolerate. His hunger comes from the motivation of building strength. He has been very concerned through these weeks that he has lost his strength and his muscle tone....things that were vitally important to him through the years. During this entire process we see that his wonderful sense of humor is still in tact. While we were still at Medical Center days ago, a very excellent nurse was giving him a sponge bath while he was standing. Suddenly as she was bathing his back side...he remarked: " I worked my butt off several years ago. I knew you would be wondering what happened to it! "
Today is bright and sunny and we kept our appointment with the neuro surgeon at Medical Center for a consultation. He will work with the radiologic oncologist who will perform the stereotactic radiotherapy on the brain lesion next week. We will see what transpires as the FLOW continues for our gallant Knight
Today is a brighter day in many ways. We will take them as they come.
Know that we LOVE you all so dearly...more news soon..

Consultation Day

Today we go for a consultation with the Neurosurgeon about the small lesion in the brain. It will probably be treated with Radiosurgery (Radiosurgery is a surgical procedure where narrow beams of radiation are targeted to a precisely defined volume of tissue within the brain. This highly focused and effective dose of radiation is given in a single session and avoids potentially harmful radiation to surrounding brain structures.) Howard has already been fitted with the headpiece for the treatment.

The Knight enjoyed wearing

this old mask much more while

in Europe several years ago.

The First Day of the Rest of our Lives

Saturday Jan. 31

Last night...Friday the 30th...was the first night in several weeks that the Knight and I had slept more than three hours at a time. Our sleep seemed suddenly peaceful and much needed. It seems that we have finally reached a point with the pain killers....we call them Dragon Slayers...that the sleep can finally come and we are ever grateful.

Today, the first full day after the chemo injections, has been much more restful and quiet. We take this to be a good sign. Please pray endlessly....we feel you near. Big decisions ahead.
So much LOVE to all from us here on Overlook.

The Knight Strikes Back

Today three weeks ago our world turned upside down and inside out. London Bridge was falling down, Humpty Dumpty was definitely off the wall and the cow could not jump over the moon. Life as we had known it was never to be the same. Howard's goal for these weeks has been to begin the fight and today we began. Chemo was administered for the first time here at the Cancer Center of Macon. Our oncologist is a beautifully spirited, compassionate young woman. The center is a beautiful,peaceful state of the art facilitywith a staff of loving, caring, efficient people....from the front desk to the accounting crew all dedicated to the care and healing of cancer victims. The chemo room is done in calming colors with large reclining chairs and soft overhead lighting creating an atmosphere conducive for sleep or reading. The Knight settled easily into the treatment and in about two hours the first treatment was complete and we were sent home. He believes whole heartedly, as does a true Knight, that his quest for healing is worth the pursuit that follows...and that is his attitude. Solutions to problems have been a quest of his throughout his life.

Earlier in the morning of this same day we had already visited the neuro oncologist who fitted the Knight with a special face mask to prepare him for the radiation the doctors feel necessary to treat the small tumor in the brain. It seemed strangely surreal to see our Knight fitted with mask, perhaps an unlikely type .This experience was very uncomfortable to say the least for a man who, regardless of his brave spirit, has a very painful situation with his spinal column. Then there is the issue of the tumor within his brain in a very vitally important area and the treatment can only be administered once to this area as we now understand it. The first radiation will be scheduled for later this coming week unless we decide otherwise....now under serious consideration....since this is a very critical choice in this process. We continue to pray for natural healing and Christ's own healing touch. "Steady in the Boat," to quote our friend Leola when times get really rough.

We do realize that there are many types of healing in our world and still this is a good time to be alive. This Knight was truly "born to be happy" so this experience is no doubt one of also questioning sometimes what this is truly "about." Our internist remarked upon learning of the diagnosis that this never happens to the mean guys. So we think perhaps it is happening to our Howard the Knight to bring all the LOVE in our world together and witness the sheer power of this force. We feel it all around us....from all of you who uplift us with your prayers and genuine LOVE of this incredible man.

So tonight, while recouping from the first chemo, we are considering our options. All of you who follow this quest with our Knight please pray continually for him and for all of us who form this entourage of loving soldiers who attend the Knight in his battle....waged against a foe that should never have been loosed on Planet Earth...yet continually attacks those of us who came to earth on our own special missions. We wonder what lies ahead and each day seems to bring new challenges. We pray to be up to the task. We follow his lead. He has never led us astray.
Please continue to pray without ceasing. Hug each other every morning...kiss each other goodnight...as you already realize....LOVE is all there is.

Port a Cath

We spent all day Monday at The Medical Center for a 45 minute procedure to put in a Port a Cath which will be used to administer the chemotherapy drugs. We go for our second visit to the oncologist today and find out when he can start the chemo. Please pray for Howard to get his strength back. The past week has been rough on him.

Our New Blog

Dear Ones,
This is the blogsight Paul has set up for us. We think it will be a way to keep you updated...whenever we can sit down and write. Please remember that we are so grateful for each of you in our lives. Your prayers and letters help us through this process. As we work through each day we are keeping the faith and hoping to also help others along the way. As you know, this couldn't happen to a nicer guy....a true and gallant Knight...one of a kind "National Treasure."
So much love to all,
Howard and Paula
1 Cor.13:13

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