For the past several years I’ve written a Christmas letter, and I enjoy receiving them. What is a Christmas letter? It’s when individuals write a letter that updates their friends and families about activities that have transpired over the past year and they send it in the Christmas card. Usually they are upbeat, cheerful, full of great opportunities and activities; though sometimes they have a bit of news that is not cheerful or upbeat…but the MAJORITY of the letter is good. I did absolutely nothing this year. I had nothing cheerful or upbeat happen to me. I’m still alive, but I didn’t think my friends/family would want to receive a letter of 72 font that stated I was alive…they can gather that from the fact that they received just a card from me (which I did send out cards). So following is my un-cheerful, end-of-the-year letter of what has transpired in my life this past year:
Positive: I continued my schooling. I was in Anatomy and Physiology in the fall semester, I ended up with a good lab partner who challenged me to do my best and was able to help me out when I needed it. We were at first disliked by our teacher, but by the end of the semester he seemed to like us pretty well — since we were two of only semi-bright students in the class.
Negative: I was diagnosed with MS, May 27. My brother has battled this disease since 2003 (when he received his diagnosis); so I have a crystal ball of what my life holds. Some people go in blind, not knowing what can/will happen…I have my very own walking fortune cookie. It’s been an interesting road so far. I take shots three times a week; they leave large red/purple bruises on my skin because the medicine is very acidic and it leaves an allergic reaction at the shot sight. The medicine also made me lose my hair…not completely, but it is very thin and it is reacting differently to my mousse and therefore is interesting to fix now. But at least I still have hair (POSITIVE). My doctor thinks they caught my early enough that if I stay on my medicine that it should progress slowly; I still have symptoms sometimes even though I’m on my meds; you just deal with them and continue on with life one day at a time — it’s all a person can do.
Positive: I’ve reconnected with a friend from High School. We have ‘coffee’ dates. It’s good to just be able to ‘be’ with some people. They have their ‘issues’ and I have my ‘issues’; sometimes we skirt the subjects…but most of the time we just talk nonsense and say ‘THE COFFEE IS GREAT’.
Negative: I lost my Granny this summer. She was a great lady and the cornerstone of our family; the solid rock that kept us going with her love and prayers. Though I didn’t go see her much, I miss having the knowledge that she’s ‘here’. I also lost an aunt in the spring, she was spcial need and loved everyone. Her favorite songs were Jesus Loves Me, and ‘Don’t Miss with my Toot-Toot’. The week before she passed away she sang Jesus Loves Me for me and my grandma.
Negative: A friend I went to school with was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer. I graduated with her, she’s my age, she has two small children and a husband. She’s having trouble winning the battle. Cancer is a disease that is becoming very common…but it’s not supposed to happen to a 33-yr old.
Negative: Another friend I graduated with lost her mom a few months ago. Totally unexpected. She was here one day and gone the next. We don’t plan for things like this (which I guess you don’t ever plan for it, but when you’re older you may expect it more). We’re still young, we have families that we’re starting and kids who need their grandmas. We think we have all the time in the world…but unfortunately we find out the hard way sometimes how mortal we really are.
Positive: I got to see the inside of an MRI machine for the first time; but it took pictures of me instead of me taking pictures of it. A new experience!! :)
Positive: Spent a weekend in Columbia, MO, doing a ‘habitat’ weekend for my friend M. Bielski. I got to meet his family and spend the weekend working my hiney off trying to get his house weatherized and fixed up. It was a great weekend. I really enjoyed myself and got to have dinner with a college friend that I hadn’t seen in years (Dust-Man).
I’ll end there…on a positive note…but as you can see, not much happened in my life this year that someone would want to sit down and read about in a Christmas Letter that would have came with a card that I would wish them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. It would more than likely have the OPPOSITE affect on them and make them run the other direction and be very ‘un’-merry or ‘un’-happy for the Holiday Season. So therefore, I sent happy cards out wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and a great year to come. And I do wish them all well, and I’m happy that I myself have grown from each experience this year and continue to learn from what is happening in the world around me. I will be MERRY and I will be HAPPY…I know that regardless of how things looks today, that God is in control and He knows what is best even if we don’t and we question everything.
Here’s to the year to come and whatever may be in store…ERM.