Yup, this quote from Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens does a pretty good job of summing up 2015 for me. (By the way, Tale of Two Cities is one book required in HS English that I did a full book report on using only the summary on the back and ready a few pages - received an A. Hmmm)
Anyway, 2015 held some wonderful moments (birth of Teddy, announcement of expectation of two more grandbabies and two wonderful times of family gatherings; Seaside Oregon this past June and Grand Junction, CO for Thanksgiving not to mention all the special visits throughout the year of kids, other family members and friends.)
But 2015 also threw some terrific challenges my way, often making me feel like I had been thrown under the bus. Failing several treatment options and watching the cancer spread was frustrating. Dealing with new medications, frustrating doctors and nurses and trying to gain back some normality in my life was quite challenging.
God has been good in the midst of all the frustrations and challenges. Positives tend to balance out if not outweigh the negatives. I have been feeling stronger, putting in more hours at work, visiting with friends for tea, getting back into Bible study and attending church more regularly. I tend to walk further each day, even in freezing cold weather. I am taking on more challenges with my job and enjoying the ability to travel again. I even do cooking and cleaning which I really never thought I would miss but I did! Life is looking good.
I read a terrific book awhile back that has helped me focus on today and quality of life versus quantity of life. I highly recommend each and everyone to read "Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande. It has really enhanced my perspective on living a full and meaningful life. You can get a full description of the book on Amazon. There is also a PBS presentation on Being Mortal, an interview with Dr. Gawande. Check it out!
I don't know what tomorrow will hold - I won't know if this new medication is holding the cancer at bay until my next scan the end of January. I do know today is better than yesterday and one day at a time is all that is required. So even though I don't know what tomorrow will hold, more importantly I know WHO holds tomorrow. I think 2016 will be a winner!
