Thank You for 2008

Yesterday, I was sending a note to a friend reflecting on this past year and I began to write, “I just want to forget 2008.” Mid-sentence I stopped writing and deleted the sentence because I realized that it wasn’t true. I don’t want to forget 2008. It was an incredible year for me.

Admittedly, 2008 was the toughest year of my life. But this was the year when I realized what extraordinary people I had in my life. I met incredible people and my relationships with friends, family and colleagues became much more meaningful.

From bringing food, to taking me to doctor’s appointments, to covering for me at work, to praying for me and finally, to laughing and crying with me – my circle of friends and family rallied. In a strange way, I feel blessed to have had this experience.

Mind you, I have no desire to ever repeat this past year. Once was enough. As I head into 2009, neuropathy from the chemotherapy still affects my fingertips. While it is supposed to fade away as time passes, there’s a large part of me that doesn’t want it to go away. As I go about my life, every so often I tap my fingers together and remember what I’ve gone through and what I’ve learned. These are the lessons that I hope never disappear.

Thank you for the role you played in my life this year.