I am home today on a windy, wet Saturday morning and was reflecting on recent events. It's easy to do when a person is the first one up and doing things.
We recently marked two important anniversaries. First, and most important to me, my husband beat cancer 20 years ago. We were trying to have children at the time, and it was more than a little Divine intervention that sent him to the doctor to have a routine test. His cancer was in such an early stage, that had he not gone for this test, we would have had no clue anything was wrong, At the risk of getting overly schmaltzy, I would literally not be where I am - either in my writing or my personal life - without him. He brought us out here from Texas years ago, so I REALLY wouldn't be here in Nevada without my husband. He gave me moral support in the early days of my writing. When my health issues started, he didn't hesitate to step up and help me with anything I needed. He helps me set up my booth at any and all author events, he drives me places when I am too sore to drive myself and pitches in at home too.
The second anniversary we marked was more personal. Three years ago my recovery journey began when we finally got an answer about what was causing my health problems. It has been quite the journey, and I know that I am not finished with it yet. I have had minor victories along the way, and a few major ones. My most recent victory has been having the physical ability to finally return to a full-time schedule teaching. I have been teaching in a second-grade class for the past four weeks. When I first returned to work after my surgery, it was a major effort to teach more than one or two days a week. Now here I am doing five days a week, working hard, and absolutely loving it. I'd be lying if I said every day is easy, but then that was never true.
In sitting here, staying warm while the weather does its thing, I was thinking about what I have learned from all of this. I tell my family that I love them more often. I try to do better at asking for help. I still have those moments of frustration when I can't do something for myself that used to be easy. One of the tougher challenges was accepting when the state DMV said that my disability is permanent. But there too, I have had to admit that a little help is a welcome thing.
So that's just a little about how I am spending my Saturday morning. Reflection is a beautiful thing, but appreciating things how they are can be just as wonderful.
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