2011 words...

this necklace, these words, they are the beautiful things i've been waiting for.

THANK YOU LIZ!

 

these pictures do not do her work justice but

if you head on over to Liz Lamoreux's shop, the little room,

you can view more of her work there.

i encourage you get something beautiful

just for you.

i haven't taken it off since it arrived!

it was like my birthday, opening the little package

so sweetly wrapped with such care.

and that is actually what it is.

a birthday present! from me, to me!

*january 13 marks 30 years in remission from Leukemia,

my 30th birthday of survivorship.*

and a new beginning.

the past several years have been the hardest of my life.

in just the last 3
i have experienced ~

the death of my mom.

a diagnosis of MS

and (just for kicks)

a brain tumor.
(non-cancerous, yet non-benign)

radiation.
going deaf in my right ear.
deep grief,

heartache,
&  a world of physical pain
that i never imagined possible.

i shut down and ceased truly living in order
to push through,
to simply survive,

some days to merely keep breathing.

but the Light,
 it was still in there, somewhere
flickering,
however dimly, giving me Hope
 in the darkness.

late last year,
it hit me, it's 2011 coming on.
a new decade. a new beginning.
and
this year i am turning 40.

 40!!!

 i realized:
G! YOU ARE A SURVIVOR!
you kicked cancer's *ss!
(with a lot of help from God, great doctors, nurses, family & friends!)
YOU ARE ALIVE, CANCER-FREE and TURNING 40!

so i vowed:

no longer will i let life's challenges,
or my own negative superpowers rule me,
exhaust me or chain me to fear and worry.
 no longer will let them cast shadows on my hope,
steal away my joy, or belay my dreams!
i will LIVE MY LIFE!

and when the words

OPEN UP AND LIVE!
found me at Liz's shop, when i first read them
they spoke directly to my soul,
 like a prayer answered.
i had been looking for my word(s) for the new year as it happened...
(see related post at bottom of page)
and
the words on the necklace were the last push i needed to
WAKE UP!
and begin living my life again.

the necklace is perfect to remind me

every day

that i am ALIVE for a reason

and

that LIFE IS BEAUTY-FULL!
and i want to

celebrate it,

 savor it,

 and share all the love and joy and hope
that lives in my heart
& dwells deep within my soul.


i want to
OPEN UP AND LIVE!

again.

xoxoxo

a related post.