Winding down...

This year has been an incredible roller coaster full of ups and downs and loop de loops. Some of it has been exciting and very good. Some of it has been stressful and very sad.

Last year, my mother made the decision to move in with my sister and her family. In her 90's she was not able to care for her home any longer. She came to this decision on her own and that was a blessing. I've heard horror stories of families having to force their elderly parents out of their homes leaving them traumatized and angry. Mom decided this for herself in her own time. It was also a blessing that she was there with my sister last Christmas Eve because that was the day, while getting ready for our Christmas Eve get together, she suddenly had a stroke. That was the event that defined how the next 12 months would be.

Initially, we were hopeful, yet scared. Mom did all the therapy asked of her and tried very hard to regain her movement and language skills. But, at 93, it was too much for her. For the next 12 months she showed a steady decline and now can barely speak anything that makes sense. She eats very little and so has lost an enormous amount of weight and the pressure of her bones against her thin skin has left her riddled with sores that will not heal. She is assisted in every aspect of her life - eating, dressing, toileting and communicating. This frustrates and tires her out. My sister, who is an angel, patiently altered her own life to become my mother's chief care giver. She has made the journey from task master - getting my mother to cooperate with therapy - to gentle companion - making mom as comfortable as she can. My mom is on the end of her life rope and it's been painful watching her natural decline. She never wanted this end for herself but she is tolerating it with quiet wisdom and deep faith. One of these days, her God will bless her and finally take her. It will be a blessing for us all.

Also this year, another person in my life had been fighting the good fight against cancer and leukemia. My brother in law's cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and underwent treatment that ravaged her health and took her hair. She made it through and triumphed over the cancer, started growing her hair back and started living again. Her victory was short lived because shortly after she was diagnosed with leukemia. Still not 100% after the initial cancer treatment, she began treatment for the leukemia. Apparently, it didn't work. Judy passed away Sunday morning. She was 62.

Those were the low points of the year. But the year wasn't all low because this year my family welcomed the birth of four new babies - Isaac, Logan, Chelsea and Indy. Our family continues to grow and, in spite of our losses and sadness, we have had many chances to celebrate with great joy.

I guess such is life. We cannot know the good times if we do not experience the bad. We would have nothing to compare it to. So, we say good bye to those we loved and will love forever and hello to new souls who will fill our dark days with smiles and laughter. Such is life. And life is good.

Rethinking prosperity...

This morning, the day after Thanksgiving here in the US, I am sitting at my desk, nursing a hang over, and reading. Ironically, I just read two separate articles that have started me to think.

The first was about a group of individuals who have forged ahead and are what we call "self made" millionaires. They found something they loved to do or believed in and stuck with it until they got others to believe too. Now, they are among the richest people in the US but, overwhelmingly, they're advice to others is "Live within your means" and "Do what you love."

The second article was about how the average citizen is beginning to "rethink" their personal definition of prosperity. As the line between the rich and poor becomes an even greater divide these days and as the middle classes dwindle to non-existence, people are beginning to take note of what is really important in their lives. Because they know they will never see great wealth, they're beginning to see the wisdom of "living within their means" and "doing what they love".

I've been a long time proponent of doing what I love. I'm realistic enough to know that I have to work for a living so I made sure that what I do for a living is something I really love doing. It will never make me rich in monetary terms, but it has made me a millionaire a thousand times over in personal growth, inner satisfaction and self worth. I did find it interesting that in both these articles the wealthy and the not so wealthy have come to the same conclusion. Perhaps the emotional divide between the classes is not as great as the financial divide. And maybe, if enough people find a way to do what they love the world would be a little happier over all.