A Functional(?) Body

We took the kids to the dinosaur museum tonight. It's familiar territory to them so they feel free to run ahead of us to their favorite places (like the water/sand table). I was struggling to keep up with my little crew because I was having a lot of muscle tension in my shoulders and I was limping on my bum right leg. As I hobbled around the corner into the Sand Table room I nearly stumbled over R. She looked up at me and pointed to an 8-year-old girl in a wheelchair across the room. "Look Mom. She can't use her legs." Then R ran off to play.

I was momentarily stunned. For the past several weeks I've been pretty good at focusing on my gratitude that I am still alive. I'm still here and still loving my family! But I forgot to appreciate how lucky I am to have such a functional body. I may have cancer, but I have two working legs and I can walk on my own power. I have two working arms and I can pickup up and carry my baby. I have two working eyes and I can see my children's faces. I have two working ears and I can have long late-night conversations with my husband. I have an undamaged brain (sometimes debatable :o) that allows me to think, feel, and communicate clearly. I think of my mom who fought through cancer and how she continued to have the full use of her body up until the very end (though it got weaker during her chemo rounds). Of all the diseases to be struck with, I think I still have a lot to be grateful for.

Not only am I grateful to still have my life, I'm grateful to have this wonderful working body to go through life with!