Life, the Universe, and everything
Monday December 13th 2010, 12:01 am
Filed under: Crohn's flare,Life

The question asked today at church was, and the teacher was asking for our personal stories here, “What gift are you most grateful for? Not necessarily some material one.” (Making it clear that a material one would not necessarily be excluded, either; it’s the meaning of it that matters.)

What do I have to say for myself, I thought.  Well now.  Starting at faith and family and friends, there are so many more moments than one could ever begin to say.

I offered the story about the great surprise of my first amaryllis bulb, sent to me at my freshman college dorm just before the start of my first-ever set of finals. It was a birthday present from my dad.  He had always given my mother an amaryllis for her birthday; mine is a week before hers.  With that package, he was declaring me an adult now and his full faith in me and I totally bawled when I opened it.

But what I didn’t say to that teacher was, the intimacy of her question reminded me all over again of how infinitely grateful I am for the skills of the surgeons and everybody else last year.

And for the doctor who walked in my hospital room seven years ago needing terribly for me to live. And so I had to.  Everything else after that only came and only will come because he cared so deeply in that moment about someone he barely knew, rather than trying to shield himself from pain when all seemed lost.

I cannot WAIT to hold my first grandson next month!


12 Comments so far
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And we are grateful for the gift of Alison; her compassion and caring, her sense of humor and imagination, and her stories that remind us that we are all part of a larger (and smaller) world. By extension, we are also grateful to your doctors and all those who cared for you!

Comment by Kathy in San Jose 12.13.10 @ 1:39 am

What you said, and what Kathy in San Jose said. Life is just one sweet miracle after another, if we are paying attention. So glad that you are still here, sharing your tender mercies with us. Your m-i-l taught the RS lesson yesterday. Lovely woman!

Comment by Lynn 12.13.10 @ 1:56 am

I will second the family and friends. And those friends who become family over the years.

Grandchild? Jealous here….

Comment by Holly 12.13.10 @ 2:38 am

Having known you for awhile now, I immediately and mentally listed the things I thought you would be grateful for. I came up with all of them except for the amaryllis and I should have thought of it.

I purchased a bulb this weekend and I hope I am half as successful as you are.

Comment by Joansie 12.13.10 @ 6:30 am

Thankful for the internet. Yeph, yeph, yeph. Because that’s how I got to meet people clear across the country, people like you.

Comment by afton 12.13.10 @ 6:42 am

I am thankful for the gift of the talent for knitting, without which I would never have met you and the lessons you teach. I can’t wait for you to hold your grandson either!!!

Comment by Jody 12.13.10 @ 7:14 am

Choked me up a bit there in the last line. Unbridled joy, and he isn’t even here yet!!!

Comment by Channon 12.13.10 @ 8:05 am

I laugh and I cry with you — it has been a wonderful year of sharing our parallel lives — I’m still waiting here to hold my first grandson, and he’s decided to make us all wait!

and the circle of life flows on — and I’m thrilled to share these things with you

Comment by Bev 12.13.10 @ 8:43 am

Oh, good Heavens! You’re gonna be a grandma! I remember the time many years ago when my second sister had her first born. My mother and other sister practically FLEW to the department stores to see what they could gobble up. Just don’t get in the way.

What am I grateful for? Too many things to list, but the one that pops into my mind is the time back in ’84, lying paralyzed in the hospital, and saying to Amalie that if I could only have the use of one limb on my left side, I’d prefer it were the leg. And that’s the way it turned out.

Comment by Don Meyer 12.13.10 @ 9:55 am

I hope the baby lives in a cold part of the world, as I suspect he will soon become swaddled in knits :-}

Comment by Diana Troldahl 12.13.10 @ 12:58 pm

I think our thoughts fall along a similar wavelength. I am realizing with new eyes that because I have willingly given it over to Him, God is in charge of my life. Because I am following His plan for my life, I have been blessed to be in the company of the right people at the right time and have been blessed with the things He knew I needed most at any given moment in time. My angels on earth have included wonderful health care providers, family, and friends from many places. It all works together for our good so that we can bless the lives of others.

I’m grateful to count Alison’s wonderful example of how to live a Christlike life among my many blessings. May you continue to find great joy in your life! Merry Christmas!

Comment by beadntat 12.13.10 @ 2:20 pm

Happy birthday!

I think the gift I’m most appreciative of right now is knitting–I’m making a squooshy warm scarf for the gift exchange at work, I’m wearing a snuggly sweater I knit, and I have lots of wonderful yarn surrounding me for inspiration. Lucky me!

Comment by Lanafactrix 12.13.10 @ 6:14 pm



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