The Simple Things

In this life, this country, there are so many negative things happening every day that it isn't difficult to lose sight of the good. In fact, it's a whole lot easier to pinpoint the bad.

But sometimes, that isn't the case. Sometimes it's overwhelming how good and fulfilling life can be if you just take time to look around you.

Tonight, I had dinner with my dad at one of my favorite restaurants (score). Over my favorite wine, and in our great conversation, I was given a gift that from this day forward I'm going to carry everywhere with me. My dad, in one of his abounding moments of encouragement, gave me this verse:

So, whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God - 1 Corinthians 10:31.

That really made me think. In this time in my life I'm going through transition. A big transition, where I'm realizing the days of effortless ignorance and carefree living are limited by bills, loans, health concerns, choices about health insurance, thinking about buying a house, and a million other elements that comprise adulthood. It's unavoidable, inevitable, and annoying, but it's all a part of being a mature and responsible adult.

And as time passes with each day, I'm reminded of all of the good things in my life - which is what I want to talk about today.

I've shared before my struggle with melanoma. I just had an "in situ" mole removed with surgery, and before you go and Google that (haha), I'll go ahead and share what it means. In situ means that the cells in your skin may evolve into melanoma and invade other parts of the body- but they haven't transitioned to cancer yet. So, again, my dermatologist and team of specialists, this time a plastic surgeon, have potentially saved my life. I found out today that they did, in fact, get all of the cancerous cells out and I'm cancer f r e e for three months!!! (You should've heard me after my appointment, I was elated).

I've shared with a few people that for some reason, this surgery was the turning-point in my attitude. Melanoma is a death sentence, there's no way to beat it, you can only manage it. And since I've had it since I was 16, the attitude I adopted in the past was, well to be honest, angry. I was angry I was given a burden that heavy to bear so early in my life, when I'm in love with the outdoors and it meant I'll always have to watch what I do, always wear sunscreen... I was angry and resentful that I would have to change my life because of something that was, to a degree, a result of choices I didn't make. Sure I tanned, but melanoma can be hereditary and I couldn't have told my parents to put sunscreen on me when I was 4. So, up until a year or two ago, I still didn't wear sunscreen that often (if at all), and I was lackadaisical about the entire situation.

This surgery changed that mentality. When I looked in the mirror and saw the ugly and angry surgery site with the black stitches in my skin standing out like coal on a white snowman, my stomach sunk and it hit me that this will be my life if I don't stop what I'm doing. And that scared the crap out of me. I have more scars than I can count on my back, and very often I liken it to a battleground in this epic struggle with skin cancer. I don't really enjoy the process of adding more.

And as I sat in my room, thinking about how I want to change these habits of mine, it made me think about my life in general. The people and the situations that have made me who I am. To tell you all of my thoughts and emotions about everything would take forever, so in the interest of time I'd really like to share what's been on my heart most recently.

My family is beyond amazing. They really are. I really only can count on one hand how many people I know that have the kind of relationship with their family that I've been blessed with... we spend a lot, if not most, of our free time together because we want to, and we're always doing something fun or crazy. I live for our Sunday afternoon dinner & football game parties, and I think that the month of December is my favorite (second to October) because we have family traditions that take up every weekend. The only people who stick around in my life are the ones that have the same appreciation for them that I do - and I love this about my life.

I also have some truly spectacular friends... I don't need to name them personally (except Jennifer because she is my best). To say that my friends are loyal and encouraging would be an understatement, and it's easy to share my life with them. I know I could call any of them in the middle of the night and they'd come over, no matter the issue. That is a friend. I've always said a true friend is someone who encourages you to grow and who brings out the best in you... and I can say I'm blessed.

So, this post is in honor of you. As I think about my life and the things that mean the most to me, it becomes very simple: my favorite things are the people I love, and the God I serve. Nothing else ultimately matters anyway, and in the end the things I hold the closest to my heart are the memories I've made with the people in my life and the ways they've helped me to grow and become the woman that I've become today.

So at the risk of sounding much less emphatic and serious I am, the only words I can say are these: Thank you. For what you do, for who you are, and for what you've all brought to my life. I wouldn't be Kimberly without you!

Parting thought:

My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents and I lay them both at his feet - Mahatma Gandi

Talk soon.