The Accidental Blessing

Dear friends,

It was an accident. Really.

In late July, I emailed Richard Beer, the Artistic Director at Hollywood Theatre here in Portland, suggesting that the theatre run the Lyme documentary, "Under Our Skin." Within the week, Richard responded saying the film was sitting in his home along with a bunch of other films he needed to watch. He promised to move it to the top of the stack.

Because I didn't expect to hear from him for a while (if at all) and because I got distracted with some personal stuff, I forgot about it. To my surprise, Richard emailed me four short days later. "Boy was that an eye opener!" he wrote. "I would love to get together with you and talk about how we can bring the film to the Hollywood and get the word out on this important topic."

I never intended to get involved. Honestly, I was feeling impatient that the film wasn't coming to Portland yet (or at all) and just wanted to someone else to take care of it. But Richard's invitation to contribute to the screening of this worthy film was easy to respond to: Of course, I will gladly help. Thanks for asking.

From there the story unfolded quickly and naturally: I met with Richard, we determined a screening date, he suggested a Q&A panel, I happened to be thinking the same thing, he notified the distributor, I recruited panelists, the panelists eagerly agreed, we collected "Under Our Skin" promotional materials, he printed out labels, I cut and stickered the materials, we distributed the materials, I wrote my friends, my friends wrote their friends, my personal email address became not-so-private anymore, I asked my awesome photographer, Aaron Courter, to shoot the event, he enthusiastically agreed, I fielded emails, I remembered that people can ask some pretty strange questions sometimes, Richard graciously answered those strange questions for me...and now we are here. In a little more than two months, we are successfully pulling off one of the most powerful events the Portland-area Lyme community has ever experienced. On Saturday at 2p, we will see Lyme sufferers, their friends and family, medical professionals, students, and the general public descend on the Hollywood Theatre to see "Under Our Skin."

I expected the planning process to be fun, tedious, and tiring. I wasn't disappointed. However, I didn't realize that I would be organizing an event that was effectively validating every Lyme sufferer in the area. I have come to learn that "Under Our Skin" is actually a means to expose and to affirm, to unite and to gather momentum, and to love and to love more. I have the best view. I get to see the dream put into action, I get to hear Lyme sufferers' stories, I get to see people become real excited, and I get to step back and watch the entire thing unfold as it's supposed to be.

A.

"Under Our Skin" will open on Saturday, September 26, at 2p at the Hollywood Theatre, 4012 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland, 97212. A Q&A panel will follow. Resources from area support groups and non-profits will be on hand to provide resources. In addition, Aaron Courter will shooting free, individual portraits of all Lyme sufferers in attendance, which they can take home and use however they wish. The photography is intended to honor these sufferers and give them something they may not have the money for. There is talk about using these photographs for a book of stories, so we'll see.

The Hollywood will also play the film at 5p on Saturday, and then 2p and 5p on Sunday, September 27. Resources only will be available at these showings. 

If you do not live in Portland, "Under Our Skin" may be playing near you. Go the website for more info. You may also purchase the DVD on the website.