LIVING

My Mom celebrated the 41st anniversary of her 39th birthday Friday. Or, as she likes to say it, 80 is the new 39. Today we threw her the first surprise birthday party that she has ever had. She epitomizes class, dignity and grace, traits that have been passed on to my incredible, beautiful sister, Kimi who, in all of her free time (he said sarcastically) organized this incredible soiree. I tried to pick one important lesson that Mom has taught me for my toast. If I shared them all, we would have been there until her 81st birthday so here is the one that I came up with.

I mean, here is a lady that since my Dad passed away over a decade ago has had her knees replaced, her shoulder done and has lost a staggering amount of weight. A year and a half ago her doctors told her that she had a cancerous spot on her arm that needed to be removed. No big deal. Then they said, oh, by the way, you have a heart condition. And, oh, by the way, you need bypass surgery. Oh, by the way, you are going to have complications which make you stay in the hospital for several months longer than planned. When she finally got home, she fell and had to get several stitches in her head. Why did she fall you ask? Because she was trying to do too much. As Nathan and Jim both observed: “How Sherer-like.”

The lesson in all of this is simple. But profound. We can exist. Or we can LIVE. When we exist, we are simply settling. When we live, WE THRIVE and life for us and for those around us is so much better. It is a choice. Choose to live.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Keep dreaming out loud!

-Trace