Live Until You Die…

I recently embraced a mantra that is carrying me through my current situation in life. I am celebrating my daughter’s graduation from Spelman College, her acceptance into the Master of Music Program at Ohio State University and her initiation into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. On the other hand, my sisters and I are caring for our mother who has been diagnosed with cancer for the 2nd time in 2 years and recovering from 2 recent strokes.

 We all experience defining moments in life that change us forever. This year is one of those moments for me. In describing this season of my life to a girlfriend, I shared, “I’m on cloud 1908 with my daughter as I walk through the ‘Valley of Baca’ with my mother.” You can imagine the emotional drain of managing very divergent feelings of joy and sorrow, excitement and fear, the anticipation of a bright future and dread of what the future will bring.

 Webster defines Living as being alive, having life, active, exhibiting life, functional, functioning, motion of nature, natural, the wilderness, full of life. vigor, true to life, vivid, in living color, going, operating, operational, operative, conduct or manner of life. The antithesis is to be broken, inactive, inoperative, nonactivated, nonfunctional, nonfunctioning, and nonoperative.

While I may not have chosen my current situation in life, I have made some critical decisions. I can choose to ignore what’s happening, pretending ‘all’ is well or I can live in the moment, fully embracing what this season means for me, my daughter, and my mother. I can celebrate my daughter while caring for my mother and find a place for me to exhale, rest, exercise, hike, walk, breathe, cry, be afraid, be angry, laugh, coach, preach, write, sing, and grow from each experience.

I’ve decided to Live until I die…

 Dr. Toni