The week before last, while I was watching Kam and Steven’s (our oldest daughter and son-in-law) 3 boys while they were on a much-needed vacation, I put together a content list for my blog for the next few months. I was so excited to have a plan in place, and I was even a few weeks ahead of getting content done for my once-a-week-posts (one of my goals) since I knew I was going to be in Utah and Idaho for a few weeks visiting kids, grandsons, and my parents. I’d also given the two presentations at a client event in Arizona the weekend before I flew to Utah, and since preparing for those presentations had been a business-related focus for several weeks, I was now going to focus on some other aspects of growing my business. I had some new plans in place to work on when I got back home later this month, and I was excited about those plans.
Every single one of these plans went out the window on Monday, March 6th, when one of our 4-year old grandsons, Braden, was diagnosed with Pre B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (aka ALL). And I had an instantaneous perspective shift. I still posted my weekly post last Wednesday because I wanted to keep my once a week streak going, the post was already ready to go, and I needed a bit of normalcy in my life in the midst of all that was going on, but I also had no desire to work on new content. No desire at all. And those business plans? Gone. All of a sudden, those things I thought were important were not as important. My focus became solely on Braden and our family and helping in any ways that I could.
Life is interesting that way. Something difficult happens, and a sudden perspective shift takes place. And you realize that maybe you’ve been taking for granted some things that are really important but might seem like little things in the busy-ness of daily life…
🧡 Like Braden sharing the berries I put on my “favowite” cereal every morning. Due to his leukemia, we can’t share anymore. But you can bet I’ll get him a bowl of berries any time he wants one!
🧡 Or Braden and Tyson squabbling…like brothers do.
🧡 Or getting all 3 boys in and out of the car throughout the day in the cold (and even snow some days) for all their activities like I did when Kam and Steven were out of town.
🧡 Or building train tracks with Braden and making sure the “resting” places fit the length of the trains exactly…because that’s important!
🧡 Or folding Braden’s laundry (there were very few of his clothes in the laundry last week, which was very sad).
🧡 Or Braden yelling “Tyson! Tyson!” out of the car window when we’d go to pick Tyson up from school whether he could see him yet or not.
🧡 Or a long list of other “normal” things, things I often didn’t even really notice because they were just part of life.
But boy, do I miss them now.
So, what’s the point of this more-personal-than-usual post? Here are some things I’ve been thinking about the last several days, days that have been both a nightmare and full of blessings and tender mercies:
- Life is short.
- Life is full of unknowns.
- The best laid plans can get changed in an instant.
- Don’t take things for granted.
- Don’t waste any moments with those you love.
- Repair broken relationships as much as you can.
- Love more. Just love.
- Judge less.
- Do the things. All the things. Sooner rather than later.
- Cherish the smallest moments and the smallest things.
Because life can change in an instant. And you’ll wish you could get back the “normal” and even the problems you were worried about the day before. Problems which weren’t really problems, actually.
And I’d give pretty much anything to go back to our “normal” before March 6th. Anything.
The next 30 days of horrific treatment will be crucial for Braden’s healing. We pray that after 30 days he’s cancer-free and enters the 2 1/2+ year “maintenance” stage.
Leukemia will always be a part of his and our family’s life from here on out, a constant reminder to never take the smallest of things for granted. To enjoy every moment we can with those we love.
Because life can change in an instant.
Leave a Reply