No, I didn’t win the lottery… wouldn’t that be super? I always tell the kids in my room that the day I win the lottery, I am gutting my room. I am going to upgrade the whole classroom with the best learning tools money can buy. Those cool desks that are better for young spines, tools to do the job that really support learning. Endless supplies of pencils! Maybe an elevator to our third floor classroom. Heating that doesn’t make sounds like something from a horror movie, and air conditioning so we don’t melt in June. And then we are all going to watch a Buffalo Sabres game or a Bills game from one of those boxes. “Why, Mrs. O?” is the usual excited question, to which I drift off and answer , “I don’t knowwwwwww…. I just always wanted to.” ” Do you have lottery ticket, Mrs. O, ” to which I point to the sky like a politician, ” You have no faith,” I say, “Real faith, is I have no ticket and yet I still expect to win!” That usually brings a lot giggles and requests to tell it all again.
Anyway, no, I didn’t win the lottery, I am definitely a person of humbling means. But tonight, I was working on some things and I was thinking my way through a few issues, and it just occurred to me how rich I really am, in wonderful people in my life. Come to think of it, I can’t think of anyone more rich than I am right now. Thinking about it moves me to tears. It really does. I am so lucky, so truly moved to gratitude. I have a great family. My children and my in law children and my grandpets all love me. My in law children feel like my own kids, there are no real in laws in this family. We all get along and no one argues. When there is trouble, we all come together to help. We don’t scream or yell. We just all just lay our cards down face up and deal with whatever we see.
My brother and sister and their families are the same. I know I can count on every one them. We have been blessed with great kids, who brought along other great kids. When I am with them, I am just Aunt Chrissy, I am loved. What more could I ever ask? My cousins, the same. I always feel like my cousins are siblings. We share secrets and history. We have kept each other, family heritage means everything to us. I have a great family.
And then I have the best friends a person could ever ask for. I am blessed with friends who care a lot about me and want what’s best for me. My friends are a diverse group of totally different people. They are super people. I have a unique collection of friends. And I love them all. Every single one. Every one comes with their own gifts and quirky fun, and I just love them all.
My best friend, Mark, I love as a brother. He, who found me in a bad place and immediately tried to help me, always tough and yet so kind and sweet to me. He has always stood behind me yelling, “Do it! Go for it!” He has always been there for me, especially when I most needed him. He has held my hand through all kinds of experiences. He is a busy man but he takes time for me. His phone calls are the highlight of my day with his silly bantering, teasing and yet serious conversation.
I get to spend my days with energetic teens, who make me laugh every single day. They are fun and they just enrich my life. They keep me young! They treat me so well and appreciate what I do for them. I think I get thanked at least twenty times a day. Their parents are great people who are also kind to me. My teacher friends are amazing, tireless workers who would do anything to help a child. Every day they inspire me to be a better teacher. My teacher friends from other school I worked at have all kept me. They are the best!
I have been so fortunate because so many of my kids also have kept me, through Facebook, social media and email. What greater thing could I ask for than to be loved by kids who wanted to keep me? And their parents kept me too! How awesome is that?! They all became friends. Their teacher a little while, their friend forever.
And then I spend my evening with great Walmart friends. I have made so many life long friends at the store. They make my work day go faster. We share giggles, tears and life stories. We work together to do our best and we try to laugh and have fun. We share crazy silly fun.
When I met Dr. Jack, I was in a bad place and I had no idea that was about to happen was that my circle of support and loving friends grew, exponentially! Dr. Jack has always treated me with the utmost kindness, and professionalism. He educated me about my disease and believes in me, especially on the days I have had a hard time believing in myself. Dr. Jack is the my hero. He is the person whose life I want most to emulate. I often wish I could crawl inside his brain, to hear his thought process for just a day. He is just amazing to me.
He has given me soooooooo much, so much time and energy that I can never repay. He has helped me with so many things that have effected my life. Maybe I will get really brave one day and share that in a blog because most people have no idea how he has totally changed my life. Talk about a journey of health and wellness…. holy cow….. you really can’t imagine. He has given me back so much that I thought I had lost forever. He gave me back my life, my self worth, my confidence, my faith. I can never ever thank God enough for sending Dr. Jack. And I can’t ever thank Dr. Jack enough for taking me and keeping me…… Never…..
And then with him has come an army of the best people. He and all of them have found their way to my heart. Rob, my life coach, what can I say abou him? I have not made his job easier. But he always finds a way to see what I do not see, He has helped me to find my way. He never gives up on me.
All of them, Nancy who teaches so much more than Pilates. She teaches you tomove your own body. What a tremendous gift that is! I never had that, ever until her. Kathy,who taught me everything about writing a blog! Dena, who heals my soul, who reminds me it’s safe inside here. Kelly, who helps me be at home in my own ever changing body, who taught me how to take better care of myself. And now all these new friends who I also love! Truly love them with all my heart. I thank God every single day, for their kindness, their caring and compassion. I am grateful for their gifts of time, and their talents that they so easily share. I doubt that they will ever know the footprints that they have left on me. I know they will never understand how grateful I really am and how I don’t take a single thing they do for granted.
And I am grateful for all the people I have met through my blog and on my journey. It’s far from over, in so many ways, it really has just started. So thank you! For sharing your stories, for letting me know it isn’t just me, for your kind words, for being my friend, for reading all my ramblings. I pray for you all every day!
It’s hard to find the right words here….. nothing I say can ever really express it right…
I really am so lucky. I am the richest person I know!
Hugssssss
Chris