Truisms: A Reluctant Homage

In general, I do my best to avoid the overused, banal phrases that, to me, signal mental laziness and a poor vocabulary.  However it pains me to admit it, though, some clichés are just spot-on.

“Sometimes we don’t appreciate something fully until we think there’s a chance we might lose it.”

Ugh.  So trite, so hum-drum, so…absolutely true.

A routine test turns up what is 99.9% likely to be nothing, but until you know it’s nothing, you worry.    Suddenly life is so heartrendingly precious you can hardly stand the intensity of your feelings.  All of the annoyances, the petty problems, the minor things are so very unimportant that you can’t believe you ever gave them a second thought.  Even having a severely disabled child and a host of other problems to deal with on a daily basis seems like a walk in the park.  The mere mention of a problem that might affect the quality of that life – or at the very worst, take that life away – and you swear you will never, ever NOT appreciate what you have.

If forced to look life and its gloriousness and variety and wonder and problems and uncertainties – and its finite nature – squarely head on, one would be foolish indeed not to take that opportunity to realize that, yes, each day is a gift, that we should never waste a day in pointless anger, that nothing is as important as loving and being loved.  Having one’s eyes opened to the beauty of every day is never a bad thing.

For this life, I am grateful.  For the people who love me, who accept my love, who bring me laughter and joy and things to think about and do, I am grateful.  For the sons of my heart, who grew within me and who carry a piece of me with them, I am forever grateful.

Today life is crystalline, bright, perfect and full.  That is enough.