Summer's End

It is the beginning of summer's end. The fair is the first sign. The chill in the morning air is yet another sign. My return date to CA has been set. Back to school commercials fill the TV airways. Today is Michelle's birthday, tomorrow Trish, and then mine rolls around. A year ago today I started a great downward spiral. The toll of my leg injury and the beginning of this head problem...insert all your jokes here! Truth be told I am surprised I am still around. I awake each morning giddy with life. Each day is a greater gift than the one before. Now, I truly understand the power and gift of each day. With my future so uncertain, I must remain in the moment. The enormity of uncertainty is too great to contemplate. What I know, and what I feel with such humble gratitude is the love of my family and friends. Every time life tossed me another boulder, someone stepped in to help me catch it. I don't believe there is any greater feeling than love! Knowing, truly feeling, seeing, holding love in your heart -WOW! Though I know I have never walked alone, this past year has brought me a depth of comprehension, the likes of which I have never known! I truly hope every person has the opportunity to know and feel all I have over the past year. We meander through our days, doing the tasks required by life, and we are happy or satisfied. We do what we should, fulfill our obligations-when we have a break, vacation, a respite from our routine we are grateful. We celebrate holidays, birthdays, & anniversaries. There is more though. It is all the quiet moments in between when we can find the greatest of gifts. Through my climb, I have been given sight, I have been filled with love, I have been blanketed with kindness. People have opened their hearts, allowing love to flow forth, enveloping me in a cocoon of hope and filled my soul with a promise of love. Too say I may have learned all of this without the mountain climbing-well that may well be true-however, life is what it is...I hope my depth of understanding, my ability to see what is not visible, the power of love & the gift of faith-yes, perhaps I would have arrived here anyway-I arrived! This is what matters! I arrived carried by love and support given to me by so many. While I could not begin to repay, I can promise you this...everyday I am given I will celebrate! Everyday I am given I will offer the best of myself! Each day I will live so you will be proud of me, & I will fight with all my might to live a life so when you think of me you will smile! Then, when my time here is expired...well, then still when you think of me you will smile-you will know how each of you lifted up a broken person and put her together better than she could have ever dreamed of
being. If at the end of each of our lives-if we can look back, knowing we really made a
difference, well by golly, then our life was well lived-so to each of you who take the time to read my ramblings...I say to you: Thank you! Each of you are embedded in my being. Every step
I take, every breath I take, every moment I live - all of it has been a joyous journey on
which each of you have carried me! Thank you, thank you, and thank you! I am still fighting,
and I will not stop moving forward with hope! Wherever I go, I'll take you with me! That was
Mommie's best song - "My love wherever I go, I take you with me." hang on though, 'cause I am
just starting to live!