The Truth

Yesterday while I was sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for my appointment I observed something.
First of all, I was there re: a 3 week long headache which has been nagging at me and making life a little miserable.
Second of all… a small family walks in with 2 obviously restless little girls; who insist on talking loudly and playing with those wooden bead loopy wire things. Which by the way are extremely annoying, I still don’t understand the fascination, once you get them on the other side, without getting your wrists stuck between the wire, it’s a whole new experience to do it all over again. 100 more times.
So my throbbing head is combined with giggles, and loud wooden beads being banged against wire. Excellent. I’m beginning to feel impatient, plus the admin staff are blaring the radio which is playing “We are the Champions” and they are all singing along. Are you kidding me???

Then suddenly, my annoyed, in pain attitude had a swift kick to my ass.

I began watching this family next to me. Girls probably 8 and 6. Mom was trying so hard to keep them entertained, beginning to get them interested in “Find Waldo” books. The dad sitting 2 chairs away, sporting short, vaguely sharp conversation under the breath with the mom. The tension was obvious, the rings were absent and were talking about who had the kids the next weekend. Suddenly the older girl slides up to the chair next to her dad with a very serious face and says
“Daddy, tell me the truth. What did the dr. say?”
He says “nothing, everything is fine they are just going to do more tests”
She says “I have cancer again, don’t I?”
My heart breaks
The mom goes into a story littered with “how convenient of you to have a meeting on that day…” comments – and how they had to sedate and hold her little girl down during tests.
Little girl again “Daddy, please tell me the truth”

How easy it is to complain about our bad days.
I was so quickly brought back to a reality of how blessed I really am in my life. Sure I’ve had my share of family health issues, but it seems so much more unfair for a child to have to go through that. How much strain on the family to hold it together and be the strong ones for their little one.
It just put life into perspective of how much we have to be thankful for.
Life is so short, and precious. And as much as I try to not take it for granted I still do. I complain about early mornings, instead of being thankful to have a job.

I complain about a headache (which granted sucks) but ignore the fact that I have healthcare to pay for chiro or massage or needed medication.

Or about a heart breaking, when I was blessed enough to know love.

Life is pretty amazing. We get to wake up, we get to be alive, we are free enough to believe what we want and love who we choose.

It’s not perfect, I don’t think anyone told us it would be – but yet we get so disappointed when something doesn’t happen according to plan.

So, I am reminded that life is precious and I am thankful