Living up to vision
My 10-year-old niece wrote me a note that my brother gave me when he picked me up at the airport. In it she said, “…I was asked to write about (my) hero and I chose you…” Apparently, my niece wrote this note for me without provocation. People have called me “courageous;” an “inspiration;” a “role model.” You know what, being my niece’s hero means more.
Perhaps I give people inspiration to live beyond their physical / health limits. Perhaps I inspire people to appreciate what they have now. I cannot recall if I have written about this, but I once got a fortune cookie (before my diagnosis) that contained a quote from James Dean:
Dream as if you’ll live forever; Live as if you’ll die tomorrow
I truly believe this quote is representative of how I have tried to live my life these last several months (though, I certainly hope the second half of that quote is not prophetic, especially today). I did not set out to be a hero or an inspiration to anyone. All the better if, through my journey, some have been inspired to so dream and so live their lives.
(It’s amazing how philosophic someone gets when having had a couple of glasses of white zin — which, I would argue ARE clear liquid, and thus acceptable on my all liquid diet).
Merle
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