a lesson from my mom

So, it’s been awhile since my first post. Lots has happened. A really BIG thing happened, and it wasn’t pleasant. My beautiful, sparkly, sometimes feisty, mom passed away after a battle with leukemia. My cheerful, sweet mom battled 4 different cancers over the last 10 years and she beat three of them. Watching her struggle through these illnesses has been both heartbreaking and inspiring. She faced each one with grace, strength and always a little bit of humor. What’s that saying - Keep calm and carry on? Yup, that’s what she did. And I will forever admire her for showing such courage.

Going through a life threatening illness changes a person, I’m sure. I’m lucky in that I’ve never had to face that kind of challenge. But friends or family members of a person with a life threatening illness are changed by it too. You learn all sorts of things you really didn’t want to know. Death becomes very real.

But so does life. I've heard people say that, when faced with the possibility of death, they suddenly become very clear about what is important to them and very grateful for what they have. That fear can be galvanizing. But I say, Why wait until you're faced with that ugly situation?! Why not think about that NOW? Most of us go through each day and mark off our To Do list without giving much thought about who we want to be or what we want to accomplish in our short time on the planet. We let our fears keep us from doing the things or connecting with the people who bring the most meaning to our lives. I know for a fact that my mother drew meaning from loving and nurturing those around her. Her devotion to my father and to her family were absolute. And I think that's what got her through those awful periods and brought comfort to her family at the end. My mom had to face her fears in order to live. You and I can do the same. We can face our fears and take those leaps or baby steps to walk through them, so we can live. So the question for you, my friends, is what fears must you overcome so that you can add more meaning, not only to your life, but to the lives of those around you?