During the month of May, I am able to celebrate the college graduations of my oldest son and daughter (I have 4 children). It is an accomplishment of significance for both of them as they also begin careers with firm job offers later this summer. Celebrating this moment in their lives is about their beginnings for a full life that is expanding and strong. It is a proud moment for all!
For me, this is a life moment that re-defines an ending; the ending of a stage of life that parents and children desire that is both healthy and changing. Independence becomes complete and those trips home are now “visits” instead of moving back for a summer or semester break. But, in my heart and life there was another moment that threatened ever seeing this one. A diagnosis of invasive cancer created an end-point that required a new direction to keep living and marking the important moments in life.
Cancer is unpredictable in its chronic ability to “hang around” rather than be “cured”. Health is a complicated task when measured in all its components (physical, spiritual, emotional) and in the midst of real life stress that includes home, family, appointments, meals, work, friends, hopes, and dreams. If measured, health is impossible to capture. Instead, health is what is chosen daily in the small steps of eating fresh food, breathing deeply when situations become stressful, learning to pray and choose faith instead of fear or doubt, making choices to invest in relationships above tasks, and working for the joy of this day instead of a future one.
My joy is full…and it is about a daily journey of hope for even more of life’s moments that bring opportunity for celebration! I am celebrating not one, but two COLLEGE graduations when my early hope was simply to make it to my firstborn’s high school graduation. Gratitude is my expression to God for the mercy I am living! Gratitude is my expression to my family for their love and support in our shared journey. Gratitude is my expression when you see the smile that radiates on my face… I am here! I am healthy! I am celebrating life!
