A personal story
I’d like to share a deeply personal story that acknowledges the life challenges we face in similar and different ways. From out of nowhere, my healthy husband suddenly experienced some physical symptoms that caught our attention. In 2021 as we sat with family and our children around the Thanksgiving table, we didn’t know what was to come, but we (my husband and I) knew that something major was wrong with his health.
He was rushed through a process of discovery and within a day or two he had an appointment with a surgeon. The message shared that day was that a large mass was growing rapidly in his chest and pressing on his heart and esophagus. It was inoperable.
My husband asked the surgeon if he thought the rapidly growing tumor was cancerous. He said yes, he believed it was. It was like an unbelievable punch in the gut from out of nowhere. We were stunned to say the least. And our hearts sank not knowing what the future held.
Just days later after having additional tests done, he was admitted to the Lipson Cancer Center, and diagnosed with Large B-Cell Lymphoma. On top of that, they were very concerned that he could have a stroke at any time. And so it began, his very aggressive in-hospital treatment with 24/7 chemo. In the hospital for a full week, then home for two, then in the hospital again for a week and home for two. This went on for months and months. Our lives pivoted. Our priorities changed. We were thrust into the unknown and uncertainty again.
A year later he was in remission and our Thanksgiving was even more meaningful as we spent time with our children and extended family. We are blessed and beyond grateful for his recovery.
I’m sharing this story with you to offer a compassionate lens if you’re moving through a life changing challenge and a perspective. Life is a dance of dichotomy. We experience suffering, loss, disappointment, hope, love, and times of happiness.
That’s why I believe we can design our lives with meaning and our spaces with purpose and intention...it's a powerful north star. We’ve been given this wonderful life, even in difficult times. Nothing is perfect, it’s not supposed to be. We're not perfect. We’re here to learn, grow and evolve. Yet, even in the most challenging of times, we can reach for the light as best we can, embrace the small moments of joy, and remember what matters most. When I say—Design A Life That Lights You Up®—it’s about remembering that we can lean into that, in whatever small way possible.