First, before anything else. I need to say this: Deb, I can't imagine going through this story without you. I love you
We just finished up our Thanksgiving Holiday, and I hope and
pray that yours was a wonderful time spent with family and friends. I hope you took a minute to think about the
goodness and blessings in your life. And
I hope that anything you’re concerned about, worried about and torn up over
didn’t consume your joy on that day.
The Holiday season is upon us. We are moving swiftly towards Christmas and
New Year’s Eve. It’s the season of being
joyful for that which we have and those whom we love. The countless holiday movies are available thanks
to Hallmark. The scripts are all quite
predictable. The overlooked, or the
overworked main character kindles, or rekindles, a romance that is at once both improbable and fully expected. We know
it, and yet we can’t help but get sucked in to the story anyway. My theory is that we all want to see the
happy ending. We can’t help but long to see love conquering all obstacles. It’s like a Christmas miracle in every story.
This is the time of year when many of us reflect on the
year, looking back on the successes, challenges, our losses and blessings. I too am reflecting. Thinking of a time long ago when I received
a life changing call from a hospital in Richmond telling me it was time to come
down soonest for my transplant. Unlike
other calls, this one just felt like it was going to be ‘the one.’ And so it was. It’s also been just over 2 years now that I’ve
been living sans colon. I considered
these as two scenes in my own personal miracle story. I bet there are miracles in your story as
well. I believe we all have miracles in
our lives, whether we recognize them or not.
This coming Tuesday the 27th will mark 13 years post transplant. It’s not been without some turmoil, and there
have been a number of challenges with my health in these intervening
years. That’s not what I want to talk
about or dwell on though.
I sometimes wonder just how many people I have met along the
timeline of my story. From chance
encounters where it was just a minute or two of interaction, to those that are more like acts unto themselves with long duration. Some
of you reading this I’ve know for years and years. I want you to know that no matter the
duration of the conversation I’ve had with you, you’ve made a difference in my
life. This spans across every area of my
life whether if be family, personal or professional. It doesn’t matter if you have known me well,
or just were a passing acquaintance. I
just want to take the time to say Thank You.
Thank you for your time. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your encouragement, your kind
word(s) or warm smile. Thank you for just
being present. Thank you for providing
comfort to me and Deb during the storms of life.
Life is hard. You have made it, (and continue to make it) better,
especially, and critically, in times when I’m not feeling my best. I have a colleague and friend that fairly
often closes his phone conversations with a short sentence. “I appreciate you.” I’m going to borrow that because it really
struck me. It’s one thing to hear ‘thank you.’ But the first time I heard that
from him it just felt different. It felt
stronger, more authentic and real.
Please hear me when I say;
I appreciate you.
Peace and blessings,
Brian F>
