As we celebrate the coming of a new year, it's customary to reflect on the old, to review regrets and resolutions, to remember our many blessings, to refresh our lives, and to renew our faith. The new year offers each of us a chance at a new beginning, to start again, to set goals, to improve our own lives, and to change the lives of others.
In reflecting on 2013, I see great challenges, pain, suffering, sadness, loss, and sickness, but I also marvel at the blessings, growth, learning, service, testimony, and miracles. 2013 has been a great and terrible year---mostly terrible, sprinkled with great things, too. I have thought a lot about this holiday season and the timing of my diagnosis this year. Last New Year's Eve, I already knew about the breast lump. I already had a scheduled mammogram for mid-December, but insurance concerns pushed it back to January. At that time, I truly believed there was nothing to worry about, so I didn't worry. I was able to enjoy the entire holiday season of 2012 without the pain and despair of cancer. We had Thanksgiving with family, our first Christmas in our new home, and rang in the new year without burden or fear. We were blessed not have our happiness clouded and to celebrate fully. How different that Christmas would have been if my mammoram hadn't been delayed! This year, the hardest part is over, so we were again able to celebrate and rejoice because we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We continue to be blessed. I set goals in January and met many of them. I've been blessed with amazing family and friends, who have jumped at the opportunity to serve and be The Lord's hands in my life. My boys have been healthy and happy and continue to be resilient. Stephen loves his job, and the blessing from that are too many to list. I survived chemo, hair loss, and 3 surgical procedures. I have made connections and new friends, have been able to share my faith through my experiences, and have found purpose in trials.
Yes, 2013 has been hard, but that's life. The Man in Black {from The Princess Bride} once said, "Life IS pain....anyone who says differently is selling something." Life is not meant to be happiness and harmony, smooth sailling, or an easy, pain-free journey. We all have good times and bad, but the way to measure success is how we deal with the the hard times. Do we continue to look for silver linings or do we complain? Do we hold tight to faith or look for ways to disprove it? Do we serve others or wallow in self pity? It's not easy to endure great challenges. Not everyone can go through difficult times and come out stronger because that is hard. As the great Jimmy Dugan tells us, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard.....is what makes it great." That is my quote for 2013---The hard is what has made it great.
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