Alter Everything

Day 175: With Love to Juliana (and all the Juliana's in my Life)

www.postsecret.com

Every day I live with chronic illness...
I am strengthened.
Humbled.
Confused.
Amazed.

It is a surreal world.
Filled with
fear
hope
pain
disappointment
and surprises.

Life ends.
Journeys begin.

And people -- often those you least expect -- reach out.
Sending love, wisdom, postcards, and possibilities.

I didn't know
I was sad.

I didn't know
I needed to talk.

I didn't know Angels
use Facebook,
can't walk,
have IV's,
or require oxygen.

It's amazing what you can learn
when you listen.


Altered Today: Appreciation for my new (and old) friends (you know who you are). 
Thank you for giving me the best gift of all...perspective. XOXOX

Day 139: Blue Skies

Andrea and Me.

Today was my favorite kind of day; filled with sunshine, laughter, and music.  Mostly pain free and energized, I went to the beach with my friend Andrea--which, as a bonus, included riding in the car for a couple of hours listening to Ani DiFranco (my favorite).

There were birds to see, campgrounds to visit, even an abandoned Sugar Mill...something we couldn't resist exploring. 

Along the way, we learned a lot. If given the choice, she would prefer to be a bear, for security and lifestyle reasons; I would prefer to be bird, namely to escape and observe. 

I love Ange and am so grateful to have her in my life. When it comes to smiling 'til it hurts, singing 'til you're hoarse, and thinking deep thoughts, nobody does it better.

Here's to good days and great memories.

Altered Today: Scenery, gratitude, sugar mill knowledge, endurance (walked quite a bit with no assistance or recourse...very good news...very, very, very good news). 

Just a thought, but shouldn't Columbus's be Columbus' ?

Day 93: You're Amazing

From time to time, we all need reminders of our greatness. 

Some, find it in sayings.

 

Some, find it in songs.

 

Others, find it videos.  Wait 'til the end. It's worth it.

 

Wherever you are, wherever you go, whatever you're dealing with, carry these words--in your heart and your head:

You are Smart.
You are Strong.
And You Are Loved...
More Than You'll Ever Know.

Happy Friday!

Altered Today: What I'm focusing on.

Day 90: Touched by an Angel

In my life, I have always been surrounded by Angels.  My husband's name is Angel.  In moments of great sorrow, I swear I have been visited by Angels.  Many of my friends are Angels. And, I am confident, my dog is just an Angel with fur.

It's been said Angels wear a multitude of disguises. One day, they are a beggar. The next, they are a child. The next, they are butterflies, thoughts, or birds.  Yesterday, I actually got a glimpse of an Angel.  Her name is Laina and we were introduced in the most surprising way, via letter in the US mail.

Laina lives in Denmark and found this blog via another blog about a month ago.  She, like so many folks, faces her own struggles in life. She, unlike many folks, puts aside her struggles to make a difference for others.

Without getting into specifics, Laina wrote to me after watching my video Day 82:Tired of Being Sick (a video I REALLY debated about whether to post or not).  She was concerned and wanted to reach out.  Among her words, I found encouragement, love, and support.

In her letter, she reminded me of something important...something I hadn't really considered.  "I think you're grieving," she said.  "Perhaps mourning life as you knew it?"

In that moment, I knew she was right.

I am grieving. I miss me. I miss my old life. I miss the illusion of promised tomorrows and I'm upset about it.

Her timing was impeccable.  The day before, I just discussed Emerson's Law of Spiritual Gravitation and was in the middle of writing about my struggles with isolation and illness. I had also just finished reading a beautiful adaptation of the It's Gets Better campaign written for Lyme sufferers and, as the article references, was looking for "the friend pulling gluten free crackers out of her purse."

I don't know what will come of my new friendship with Laina: if we will meet, if we will keep in touch, or if we will ever speak again.  What do I know? My life has been profoundly altered by an act of kindness delivered from more than 4,000 miles away.

Altered Today: What I was originally going to write about.  Faith in good people and good things. Appreciation for what I have. Thoughts about writing and the difference we all can make with a few simple words.