The calendar says it’s November which, for many, means it’s time to decorate for Christmas. I am not one of those people. I prefer to celebrate holidays one at a time. This is not meant as criticism on my part; it’s simply a matter of personal preference.
In any event, November is something of a mixed bag for me. For these last several years, every time the calendar turns to November, I start to get a little uncomfortable. A little stressed. November brings with it some bad memories. It was in November 2016 that I suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. While I have no memory of that event or of many of the days that followed, I’ve seen the pictures and heard the stories, and I know it is something I never want to repeat. Of course, it is completely unreasonable to think it could happen again simply because it’s November. Even so, November brings it all to the surface.
Despite that, my overwhelming thoughts this month are gratitude. Extreme gratitude. Because November is the month we celebrate a day devoted to giving thanks, and because I have so very much to be thankful for, I want to focus November on gratitude. On counting my blessings. On giving thanks. I don’t want to rush past that to the next holiday, as special as it is.
When I was in the Neuro ICU, my husband was told I might not wake up. He was told that if I did wake up, I would face severe challenges. But God had other plans for me. And today, my reality is very different from that gloomy prediction. I walk without assistance. I can read and write and talk better than anyone ever expected. I still deal with some aftereffects of the stroke, but most are not visible except perhaps to those who know me best.
This month I celebrate that I am a stroke survivor. And it’s all because of God’s amazing grace!
No comments:
Post a Comment