I know that I have
been “offline” for a moment. Sometimes life has plans for you, other than the
ones that you had for yourself. When that happens you can fight it, or grab on
and make adjustments. Fortunately I am one adapting gal! I thank those of you
who are reading for the welcome back.
Every Christmas holiday season I
can be found at some point on my sofa wrapping gifts, while watching Frank
Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life”. To
me, the holiday season does not really begin until I see that movie and hear
Nat King Cole sing “The Christmas Song”. There is just something that makes me feel
absolutely blissful when I hear Jimmy Stewart scream “Thank you Clarence, thank
you, you old Building and Loan!” The message in this movie is one of appreciation
and gratitude; simple lessons, for a man who felt so desperate in the beginning
of the movie. I am sure you are all wondering just where is my head, talking
about Christmas, when we are in the middle of July. Recently, I was fortunate
to feel like George Bailey myself.
Over the past year and a half I
have had to overcome a lot of health issues and at times fight my way back from
some major setbacks. There were times that my family didn’t know what my
outcome would be and we all had to depend on faith. Through it all, I had an
ace up my sleeve. It wasn’t a miracle drug, or geniuses imparting all their
knowledge on me alone. No, my ace was my
faith in my friends and family.
The thing about life that I had
enjoyed was its unpredictability. That surprise element tended to keep me on my
toes. Although I tried to live my life as stable as possible, I have to be
honest and tell the truth, flying by the seat of my pants had a thrill that I
rather delighted in. Problem is, those unforeseen twists in the fabric called
life are not always good, pleasurable or wanted. I had a few of those in my
lifetime that I wish had never been laid on my path. Divorce. Single parenthood. Starting over.
Disease. These were a few of the things that I could have lived to be one
hundred and been perfectly content to never have encountered. Still there they
were, on my path and if I still wanted to move forward, I had to make my way
over them, through them or stay stuck under them. I chose to barrel through
them, making myself stronger in the process.
It is cliché to say I never knew my
own strength, but it’s true. I knew I was a forceful and formidable woman, but
even I would have a breaking point, surely. I have yet to meet mine. I have
been at the brink of death, and still I was able to keep my wits about me, and
reassure those closest to me that everything would be fine. Even though none of
us knew what my outcome would be. Not my doctors, my husband, my children, or
parents. What I knew was, that I was
tired, and facing battle yet again and needed something greater than me to get
me through. That is when I had my George Bailey moment. I asked for good
thoughts, positive energy and prayers. Everyone I knew began to send me well
wishes, and positive energy and it began to fill my soul and spirit. My body
began to heal, and my momentum was moving forward in a positive direction onto
a path of wellness.
I am firm believer of positive
energy. I believe that when you surround yourself with good thoughts, good
wishes and prayers you can only have a good outcome. Recently, my MS began to
act up, making me blind and struggling to do anything, again I sent out a call
to my friends and family, and again they rallied behind me, before I knew it I
was feeling like myself and getting back to my normal. In my mind’s eye I could hear the angels
taking calls from all the prayers that were coming in, just as was in the
opening scene of “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
Knowing that I had my family, cousins, friends (old and new) rallying in
support for me gave me that extra lift that I needed to propel me yet again in
the right direction.
What this did for me was fill me
with an overwhelming sense of gratitude, and I was humbled. Humility is not
foreign to me, nor is the absolute heartfelt feeling of being thankful. I just
wanted to make certain that you all knew how thankful I am. Thankful for those
who surround me at times of need, and those who answer my call when I feel my
load is too much for me to carry alone.
This blog post is to all of you,
just to say these words, “Thank you! Thank you for the prayers, words of
encouragement and thank you for your support. You are my ace up my sleeve. Most
of all, thank you for my George Bailey moment.”
As always I can’t sign off without
a quote to emphasize my post, so here it goes. Until next post.
“Let us be grateful to the people
who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls
blossom.” ― Marcel Proust
“When you are grateful, fear disappears and
abundance appears.”
and finally
“'Thank you' is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a
lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.” ~ Alice Walker
