William Shatner: the Lost Letter

WILLIAM SHATNER signature

SORRY, BILL ( I should have known)

When I was 12
years old I lived in the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. I had only lived there about a year when I heard that William Shatner would be appearing to give a live concert. My family were avid Trekkies. The first time I saw William Shatner was on a Star Trek episode while I sat on the floor at 7 months old, still in diapers. I was three years old before I realized that William Shatner was NOT my father.  (my father’s name is also Bill and he wasn’t around very much – so I’m not as stupid as I sound).

When Bill Shatner was due to come to Vancouver my brother and I would have given anything to go but we simply were too poor. Between us we had $5. So we sat at home that night doing Star Trek trivia out of an old book my brother had.
The next day I heard on the news that the people who had attended the concert had “Booed” William Shatner off the stage. I was angry and embarrassed at the same time. Vancouver was my new home but I was disgusted with the lot of them. I would have given my right arm to be there and all those people who had the money to go didn’t even realize what a privilege they had been given. Apparently Bill Shatner had gone on stage and started quoting poetry and they started booing him. What did they expect him to do? He’s an actor. Did they expect him to sing, “Flashdance”?

I walked around for two days upset by the whole thing when my mother suggested I write a letter to Mr. Shatner. So I grabbed my pen and loose leaf paper and did just that. I apologized for the city of Vancouver, told him why I couldn’t go to the concert and asked him to not let that one episode stop him from returning to our city in the future. I got the address to Paramount in Los Angeles and mailed it on it’s way.

Fast forward about 7 months. I had completely forgotten about the concert and the letter until I came home from school to discover I had something from California in the mail for me. I couldn’t imagine what it might be. When I opened it I discovered a post-card promo for the Vancouver Shatner Concert and on the back someone had written: “Dear Laura Lee, Sorry you didn’t get to see the concert. There are no hard feelings. Maybe you’ll get to see one in the future. The letter you sent was wonderful and very appreciated. Thanks again for your encouragement.” It was signed with some sort of scribble I couldn’t read. I couldn’t even make out part of the name. I was rather annoyed and hurt that some Shatner-flunky had written me a few words on the back of an old, out dated post card. I’m sure William Shatner never even read my letter. He just has a bunch of people to answer mail for him. We moved a year later and I threw away the post card with a bunch of stuff that we weren’t taking with us.

Fast forward 8 years. I am 20 years old, still living in Vancouver and about to attend my very first Star Trek convention. Now, for those of you who have not had the experience of being to a Star Trek Convention, besides talking Trek, dressing up Trek, seeing one of the stars from Trek, there is a lot of SELLING TREK! Anything that has something to do with Star Trek was being sold there. And at that period in time “Star Trek: the Next Generation” was on TV and doing very well.
My brother and I were strolling around the selling tables. We had separated so each of us could look at what interested us most. I was looking to pick up a cassette tape (that’s what we listened to music on in the ‘olden days’) of Brent Spiner’s  “Old Yellow Eyes”. I passed a table that was selling copies of William Shatner’s new book “Tek War”. The proprietor actually had a few autographed copies he was selling too. I looked at the book with William Shatner’s signature at the bottom of the back cover and a chill ran right up my spine. You guessed it. It was the exact “scribble” that was on the post card I had received. William Shatner had actually written to me personally and I had thrown it away! I had assumed that he was too big and important to write to me personally and so his warm wishes in his own handwriting went out with the trash. Boy, howdy! Did I want to commit suicide right there on the spot. Or at least find someone to give me a good thrashing. So I went to seek out my brother and explain what had happened. (maybe he would help me with the thrashing task?)

Obviously it impacted me hugely. I’m 46 years old now and I still cringe at my stupidity. But I can now see an object lesson in it (I can usually see an object lesson in just about anything and everything).

OBJECT LESSON: We reach out to God and when He responds we are too blind to recognize Him. We think He surely has better things to do that listen to ‘tiny’ us. But if we show even the smallest interest in Him, He will respond. And unlike William Shatner, God can be right where you are at any moment of any day. He can love me without it diminishing His love for you. So I beg you to be wise enough to recognize the handwriting of God. If I had known more about Bill Shatner’s character, I would not have assumed he wouldn’t write to me personally. If you don’t know God’s character, then let me assure you that , “if something matters to you, it matters to Him”. Do NOT throw Him out with the trash.

And to William Shatner: thanks for the letter and for being the sweet and warm person you are. And for taking the time to write to a little girl all those years ago. I may not have been smart enough to recognize you then, but I know you are precious now.

Love Always, Laura-Lee

Colleen Southgate Martel: Enigmatic/Quintessential

July 10, 1995, COLLEEN -last photo I took of her. (she's trying to fix the cable connection of the TV set in her bedroom)

Around this time of year I am reminded of my Aunt, Colleen. She has her birthday at the beginning of July, on July 15 it is her wedding anniversary and at the beginning of August is the anniversary of her death.

She died of cancer in a very short time. From being fine and going to work, to passing on in only a few short weeks. For me it was even faster.
One day my brother went to visit my mother’s home. I arrived at her place just a few minutes after he did. I walked in just to see him hand our mother a piece of paper. I saw her scan it with her eyes and a horrible look washed over her face. I was still at her door taking off my shoes when I asked, “What’s the matter, Mom?”
She replied, “An email. [pause] Cancer!” That dreaded word. The only word out of my mouth was, “Who?!”

It was my Aunt, Colleen. She's a province away from us and her family had sent my brother an email and he was suppose to break the news to us. My brother left and my mother and I sat silent and stunned. My mind kept repeating the phrase, “Auntie Colleen has cancer. Auntie Colleen has cancer!” But it just didn’t soak in. But that was not the only shock to come. The next day we got a phone call saying that she had passed away early that morning. We learned of her cancer one afternoon and less than 12 hours later we had learned about her death. It couldn’t have been more sudden for mother and I if Colleen had been hit by a car. I had known Auntie Colleen all my life but upon her death I felt that I barely knew her at all. She was such a foundational member of our family. She was a strong woman and I would have imagined dozens of family members dying before she did. I felt she was somehow, indestructible. She was only in her 50’s. It was too soon.

  I have not been well enough to get on an airplane for the past 10 years, so I have not gone back to her house since she died. In my mind, I still think of her in her house, carrying on as she always did. To me, she isn’t dead. She is just … elsewhere. And in reality, that isn’t too far from the truth.
I have no great points to make or any clever sentiments. I simply wish to pause to remember someone who was (and is) very important to me. And, I also take a moment to realize that NObody has been guaranteed a “tomorrow”.
I’ve heard many, many people say that they will “get their business straight with God” OR  “I’ll come to Jesus” … someday. Let’s just hope that you make it too a "someday". We have to seize the moment and grab our opportunities while we can.

I continue to pray for Colleen’s family and friends who are missing her deeply with each passing day.

“And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.’” (Luke 12:19-20)

“But seek his kingdom and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:31-32)

ANNiversary # 57 and Counting

A few days ago I watch the movie, “Juno”. It is the story of a teenager who gets pregnant and deals with the consequences in a very adult way. In the midst of trying to continue at high school, find adoptive parents for her soon to come child and deal with her relationships with her parents, friends and the baby’s father, Juno appears to be the most mature person in the movie. Or at least the most thoughtful. Near the end of the story and after experiencing troubles beyond her years or abilities to deal with, she comes to her father and asks him if he thinks love between two people for an entire lifetime is possible. The Dad, who is on is second marriage, gives a straightforward and honest answer but it is one that is filled with doubt. Even at his older age the best he can offer her is an “I hope so”.

It made me feel bad. Bad for teenagers who can barely grasp the concept of parents NOT getting divorced. Bad for adults/parents who don’t know if their marriage will last and the best they can do is “hope”. Bad for myself, who can count on only one hand the amount of couples I know/knew that stayed married for an entire lifetime. And not just married, but happily married.

So for all of us searching desperately for an example of this, I submit to you, Ann & Bryan Norford of Alberta, Canada. They have just celebrated Anniversary # 57. I’m sure they’d be the first to tell you that there is nothing “easy” about marriage and that it is as rare as it can be precious, but I know they love each other right now more than they did on the day they got married.
I also know that they would tell you the # 1 reason for this is that there is a third person in their marriage. No. It’s not one of their children, grand children or great-grand children. It’s not that one of them is having an affair. It is the reality that each of them is putting the other one SECOND in their lives and marriage. Jesus rules supreme inside both of them and they love Him more than they do love each other. So when they couldn’t find the way to each other, they went to the Lord of their lives, Jesus, and He made sure that they found their way back to each other.

I met Ann and Bryan almost 30 years ago when I was just another teenager from a broken home. I also was asking myself the question, “Is is possible for two people to be in love for a lifetime?” I suspected that Ann and Bryan would help me answer that question, and looking back now, all I can say is “thank you”. You’ve kept more than just “hope” alive, you’ve been a living example of unconditional love. By knowing that the two of you never gave up on each other, I know that Jesus will never give up on me.

Happy Anniversary.


“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”
   (Ephesians 5: 25)

“Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.”  (Ephesians 5:22)

P.S. Ann & Bryan Norford wrote a book about marriage from their viewpoint and that of God which includes Bible devotionals to help strengthen marriages. You might want to check it out or their blog.

 “HAPPY TOGETHER”  Ann & Bryan Norford

HAPPY TOGETHER from Amazon Canada
BLOG Norford's Ramblings

An Olympic Story: one man’s bronze is another man’s gold

During my school years I was pretty good at sports, even for a girl, but I could never run very fast so that made me pathetic as far as track and field was concerned.
I remember one day when I was 12 years old and in grade 7 my school, “Miller Park Elementary” decided to hold a track and field day and have the entire school participate.

The entire school was divided into 3 teams, with members spread through all the grades. These teams were named after the Native Tribes that lived in that area of British Columbia, Canada:  the Bella Coola, Nootka, and the Salish. I was on the  Nootka team. My best friend, Sacha, was in the Salish team (if I remember correctly).
There would be awards given out depending on how you scored in the various events. Bronze, Silver and Gold badges would be given to individuals and one team out of the three would be ultimately victorious for the entire school.

Now, by the time I was in grade 7 I had participated in several of these types of days and never won ‘diddly-squat’. But it didn’t matter this day: the sun was out, we didn’t have to be in class for an entire Spring day and I could spend my time having fun with my best friend. I knew that we would probably excel in the event  “laughing our guts out” the most.

The day progressed and we were put through our paces and forced to run various obstacle courses. Sacha and I laughed our way through the entire day as our teachers scowled at us for not taking all this more seriously. We stopped for lunch about 12:30 pm, the scores of everyone were tallied, after the break the awards would be presented and then we would be allowed to go home early. It truly was a blessed day.

As far as the three teams were concerned, I believe the Bella Coolas won school wide, although I don’t think they won anything more tangible than bragging rights.
Then it was time to give out the individual awards. Sacha and I knew it would take some time because they were going to give out Bronze, Silver and Gold awards to three girls and three boys in each grade. Since Sacha and I were not very athletic and had basically goofed around all day, we settled in and made ourselves comfortable as we whispered comments about each person as they went up to pick up their “major award”.

They started with the grade ones, so we knew would be there for quite some time. I loved to see the looks on the small childrens’ faces when they won, but it was quickly over shadowed by the hurt looks of the many more children who won nothing. They were too small to understand that this was not an actual measure of their worth.

As the teachers worked their way up the grades handing out awards , it was easy for Sacha and me to pick out who the winners would be. The same people who won every other time we had such events. The talented few who never saw a rain cloud or a pimple.
The grade 7’s were the oldest, so our class would receive the awards last. But as soon as the awards were over we would be set free to go home and that’s what I couldn’t wait for.
They did the grade 7 boys first. Gold winner, silver winner and then the bronze. Then last, but not least, the grade 7 girls. Gold winner, silver winner and the final award of the day, the bronze winner. Well, I bet you’ll never guess who won the very last award. The bronze award for grade 7 girls. ME!
Out of 40 or so girls my age, I had come in third, when I thought my performance that day wouldn’t even merit a participation button.

It took a couple seconds for it to dawn on me that I had won. It was Sacha pushing on my shoulder that got me up and moving. I took my bronze badge and took my place beside the 5 other grade 7 winners: the three boys and two other girls.
I stared down at that beautiful, bronze award that seem to shine and even glow in the sunlight. I thought it a rare surprise at the end of a wonderful day.  I also considered that I might not be as physically pathetic as I thought I might be. Then I looked up to see my best friend who had leaped to her feet and was shouting and cheering herself hoarse in support of my great win. I think she was prouder and happier for me than I was for myself. Sacha was a great person. She taught me all about the loyalty of friendship (which is a rare prize indeed these days).

But what I found most surprizing was the conversations of the other winning students standing next to me. They were complaining. The “silver” winners were upset that it wasn’t a “gold” and the “gold” winners were upset because it was a cheap looking badge and they already had tons like it at home.
Then I looked into the faces of the many kids who hadn’t won. They sat polite but quiet and restrained. I could see the envy and longing in their expressions. What would they have given to be standing in any one of our places?

So often we don’t appreciate what is right in our hands because we are busy looking at what we don’t have and/or what others possess. Plus we are struggling to attain something that won’t really make us happy. And when we get to the place we have struggled for such a long time, we may discover that it’s much duller place than we had anticipated.

Just this past year I had to go through an old trunk and discovered my old bronze badge from that day. It basically is just a cheap piece of material that probably cost less than a dollar, but it wasn’t the actual award I won that day. The day and moment it was originally handed to me I was completely happy and satisfied. I had been given a gift I didn’t expect and discovered I had a friend that loved me more than I knew (and maybe more than she knew herself). I also learned to live in the moment and take each “award” with grace and gratitude because it might occur only once and most surely will be fleeting. I still try and wring every drop of joy out of each moment. I’ve also learned (through the years) that just participating can be more fun than winning if you do it with the right attitude and you’re willing to laugh at yourself too. But ultimately I’ve discovered that one man’s bronze is another man’s gold.

While you watch the Olympics from London this summer perhaps you can ask yourself why you run your race and who you are running for.

“ … let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it’s shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  (Hebrews 12:1-3)

  ~~ from the NIV Bible


NOTE: This blog entry is dedicated to my childhood friend Sacha Barrie. God loves you Sacha and so do I.

GLORY - Lyrics

NOTE:  Lyrics to song currently playing on sidebar on
                  July 6, 2012
(**set to automatically play once then stop - controls on sidebar under title "TUNES") - Crank it up and, enjoy ...

One day eyes that are blind will see You clearly
One day all who deny will finally believe
One day hearts made of stone will break in pieces
One day chains once unbroken will fall down at Your feet
So we wait for that one day, come quickly

Chorus:
We wanna see Your glory
Every knee falls down before Thee
Every tongue offers You praise,   With every hand raised
Singing glory, to You and unto You only
We'll sing glory to Your name


One day voices that lie will all be silenced
One day all that's divided will be whole again
One day death will retreat and wave it's white flag
One day love will defeat the strongest enemy
So we wait for that one day, come quickly


Chorus:
We wanna see Your glory
Every knee falls down before Thee
Every tongue offers You praise, with every hand raised
Singing glory,  to You and unto You only
We'll sing glory to Your name

Bridge:
We know not today or the hour
Or the moments in between
But we know the end of the story ... When we'll see ...

Your glory
Every knee falls down before Thee
Every tongue offers You praise, with every hand raised
Singing glory to You and unto You only
We'll sing glory to Your name,   oh one day

Brilliant Quote … from ME

“ Until you’re willing to admit you know nothing; you’ll never learn anything.”
     ~ Laura-Lee Rahn

P.S. Actually, that statement sounds familiar, so it may have been said by somebody else. Can anyone tell me who? Otherwise I will claim it for myself. L-L