861 days! Wow, how time flys! Seems like just yestersday I was struggling to become a quitter!
Hello friends! Hope all is well in the world of EX and everyone is staying true to their personal commitments. For me, I'm still honoring the commitment I made to self. Life stays busy. I'm enjoying having my grands close and spending as much time as possible with them and doing all the things I missed doing following my stroke. In addition, I'm spending as much time as possible helping my dear friend that has end of life cancer. He has now exceeded the 18 months he was given, but the cancer and chemo have ravaged both him and his wife, my dearest friend. They have been blessed with a few true, proven friends that help as we can. For those of you that were here last Christmas, you may remember that Christmas is their favorite holiday and they go all out with yard and house decorations. It generally takes 4+ weeks to get all the decorations up and running. They have huge, moving yard decorations and nativity scene. Everything from a life size metal helicopter, carousal, sleigh and reindeer on a landing strip, huge oak trees decorated all the up the base and into the first set of limbs--just incredible and beautiful! They also have thousands and thousands of lights. A group of us got together last year and decorated and we did the same this year as well. We also have a Go Fund Me account setup and holding a 50/50 raffle tonight. Another group of friends are planning a bike run. And of course, we will be taking down and packing away all the decorations as well.
I'm writing this so the newbies can see, life will always have pain and stress--but you don't have to give in to it! I will also say that most of the fund raising events have been held or will be held in bars with a lot of smokers, but again, the decision not to smoke is MY decision and "I" am the ONLY person responsible for honoring and keeping that commitment. Think about it and keep "YOUR" commitment to self.
I probably won't be back on before the New Year so I will go ahead and wish each of you safe and happy holidays.
Marilyn
