Wednesday, December 19, 2012

                                              My Gift


I received my Christmas gift last Friday and couldn’t wait to tell you about it. I was so excited when I received it. It wasn’t expensive jewelry or the newest electronics or fancy clothes that I don’t really need. No, it wasn’t a trip to an exotic place or a gift certificate to an upscale restaurant. Give up (I’m running out of adjectives)?????? What I received was a day (a full day at that) where I felt like my old self.

Mark and I took the day off and planned a whole day and evening downtown (OK truth be told I did the planning but he went along with it), I was a little concerned considering I just had chemo two days before but was ready to attempt it. We arrived downtown at approximately 11:30AM and proceeded to go all day and evening (with a small break back at the hotel to rest and change for the evening) doing all the things we use to do. We must have walked a several miles that day and didn’t arrive back to the hotel until midnight. It was great to be able to visit all the places we use to go (4th Presbyterian Church, 95th Signature Room for lunch, Water Tower and all the shops in between) and the evening was spent at the Christkindlmarket, The Goodman Theater to see A Christmas Carol and dinner afterward at Petterino’s.

What I have learned from this experience is not to take anything for granted, even the simplest of tasks. What seems easy today may not be as achievable tomorrow. Experience as much as you can while you are able and savor those memories. A lot of us have the attitude of “it can wait until I retire”. Hopefully we all will have that opportunity and be healthy enough to enjoy it, but things change so quickly. Take the time to enjoy life a little bit at a time so your not looking back thinking – I wish I had…..

I truly received a great gift this year. Even though it wasn’t flashy or fancy or expensive it fit perfectly.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Put on those fancy Christmas shoes and Keep On Dancin’