life:: cancer…music…and a date with destiny

Y’all know that I am not one to share much about my personal life, right?

(no really yarnchick, you just have a blog that you chatter incessantly on)

But really, I mostly try to share my mission statement of crochet::food::photography

I am quite careful not to do the whole TMI-thang.  That’s not really why you guys come to visit my little corner of the interwebs. (Because you might catch me drooling…or chewing on purple crayons in this little corner and realize I’m just another goofball that needs to be in a white sweater with really loooong sleeves.)

I like to write, and when I am inspired sometimes the mood just hits me to go all TMI on ya.  I like to refer to it as a ninja skill.  This is one of those posts.  So if you are just stopping by for a freebie pattern, I’ll warn you now that just ain’t happenin’ today.

I changed jobs recently and snuck in a TMI post here  (if you feel the need to catch up).  Now normally, I would just mention that I am an accounting geek in my real life and move on quickly.  But I met a wonderful young person today that moved me.  Her exuberance moved me to tears.

The back-story goes like this:: Five years ago this month, I was diagnosed with cancer and began aggressive chemotherapy.  I became a shell of the person I was before.  Slowly, after 6 months of living-death (that would be the chemo, radiation and surgery), I started my life over.  I was scared and scarred; and with the help of the wonderful people in my life, I began to live my life as it was meant to be lived in the first place.  Mostly, I had just managed to f*** it up before cancer.  After the big C…I righted my wrongs, I forgave others and myself, and I made the conscious decision to LIVE every day as if it were my last.

Fast forward to today:: My new job is still being an accounting geek, but now I’m working at a company that brings mobility to the physically challenged.  On a daily basis, I am chatting with and assisting people with physical disabilities in getting wheels.  Specialty wheelchairs, scooters, and equipment that allows them to drive vans.  They are all so happy to be able to get out into the world at large and interact.  They are all f***ing awesome.  But today was even more special because I met Destiny.  She is a senior in high school and was getting her first vehicle adapted to her special driving needs.  She was more than awesome.  Her life requires her to have constant assistance, but my gawd, that child was full of LIFE.  She and her mother waited all.day.long. for the work to be completed on her van.  After 9 hours she was still as upbeat and excited as when she showed up that morning.  I was able to chat with Destiny several times throughout the day, and she was amazing.  

I found out about her adoration of Justin Bieber, her love of music, the dance she would be attending in the evening, her 1st place in singing competitions, and other little bits of her life.  I told her some of my story and how music helped get me through and how it still does today.  I told her that it’s still a huge part of every single day for me, 5 years later. We really connected on the subject of music and how it makes life bearable during physical challenges.  Destiny told me that when she is immersed in her music, she is FREE.  She feels free of her chair, and that she can do anything.  She brought me to tears.

 I am so thankful I met her.   It was such an affirmation to stay on track with my life after cancer.  So many people in this world are negative, or don’t know how to connect, or even have empathy.

I got a reminder today of why I can never go back to who I was 5 years ago.  I don’t like her anymore.

I got a reminder that my life is about my choices.  Make choices that MATTER, it’s destiny.

I got a reminder that I am on the right path.  ROCK ON!

There’s too much LIFE out there to live.  Too many PEOPLE to connect with.  So much f***ing AWESOMENESS to give me energy.

So there’s your dose of TMI for awhile.

Have a ridiculously amazing day friends!