God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.
Voltaire
Last year on this very date I sat in a room … a room with a view, in fact. Sitting 9 floors above the hustle and bustle of city life, instead of celebrating my birthday with a view from a hotel suite, my view was in a chemo suite at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Bald and weary, I sat with an IV drip—on my 7th week of chemotherapy. I clearly remember thinking: Wow, how is it that I’ve complained about birthdays … while only dancing into my 30s … and now I’m not so sure I’ll live to see 40.
So though I don’t typically like to toot my own birthday horn—if getting through this past year has taught me anything, it’s that I cannot afford to be casual or glib about birthdays ever again.
So my birthday wish this year when I blow out those candles tonight will be all about a prayer to live well … seizing each day … moment to moment … hour to hour.
Thank you, God, for giving me the gift of life. Forgive me for all times I’ve squandered precious moments and opportunities to live it well.
Today I celebrate the gift of life. I’m alive. Thank God.
Nicole
SEAGLASS 