A love letter to life...

My Dearest Life,

I’ve been thinking of you, and all the things I love about you.

I love that you gave me a mother who is unwavering and fierce in her beliefs.  She never fails to be calm under pressure and if I lose my focus for even a second, I can rest assured that she will point me in the right direction.  (She is also a strong proponent of good fun that is funny…and knows how to lighten even the dullest of days!)

I love that you gave me my family and loved ones.  To be surrounded by such steadfast support is something for which I will always be grateful.  There is a song that I think of often that says, the days are darker than the dark dark nights, so we hold hands and dance till we shine – this always makes me think of my lovely ones.  They cheer me on.  Entertain me with their stories.  Make me laugh.  Remind me that I am loved.  And even with eight thousand miles between us, they stand in the darkness with me and hold my hand…and help me find the light.

I love that you gave me the opportunity to have this experience and the potential it holds for positive change.  I love that you surrounded me with the kindest of people here – each one unique and warm and loving.  Whether it’s the nurses or the doctors or the PT staff, they all continue to encourage me.  They sit next to me on my bed, they rub my hand, they tell me to fight, they smile and they laugh.  This is one of the things about life that I love most and have always loved about working at Friendship Shelter – the opportunity to witness the endless array of unique people that exist in this world.  No two are the same.  Each is beautiful in his own right.  And even the ones that seem hard to take at times will surprise you eventually.  The goodness is in everyone – if you look for it.

I love that you have given me these new cells.  That they are at home now in me and they are going to flourish and thrive.  It’s kind of remarkable if you think about how this is all made possible…and that it starts with a random stranger – in China.

I love that you have given me so much beauty to gaze upon.  Even though I don’t get to see much of nature at the moment, my heart remembers.  I love puffy white clouds…the kind you could swim in or eat with a giant spoon.  I love garden roses in full bloom…and dahlias, lots of dahlias.  I love birds that perch and chirp and hop about.  I love trees, and the perfect color of green that the sun creates when it shines on a leaf.  And I love the sunset over the ocean and the color of blush in the sky that only the heavens can create.

I love that you gave me so many ways to enjoy the talents and creativity of others – music, shows, movies, books.  I’ve had a bit of time to pass and I’ve had so many opportunities to see what other people are doing in the world with their time and energies.  I’ve watched hours of the food network, traveling across the world to see people’s culinary imaginations come to life.  I’ve been entertained by movies I haven’t seen in years.  I’ve laughed with Ellen.  And let’s not forget those voices and those sounds that bring me peace and joy and comfort…like really nothing else can.

And lastly, I love that you have given me everything that I need.  I am safe.  I am well-kept.  I am internally rich, equipped with a wealth of resources.  And I am loved.  So my dearest life, today my heart is full of gratitude…for you.

With love,

Me

Oven by Seven Mary Three.  If my soul had a sound, it would sound like Jason Ross.  I’ve had a love affair with this voice since I was probably fifteen – my brother gave me a Seven Mary Three CD, and at the time I had no idea what a significant part of my being this voice would become.  Somehow, I always find my way back to it.