The news of someone close to me having stage 4 pancreatic cancer and just months to live is triggering and re-traumatizing. Her story reminds me of the pain my mom endured and how painful and scary it was for me to watch. This is just yet another reminder of many, that life is so short and fragile.
Sometimes I wish we didn’t have to have struggles in our lives and that we could just experience joy, laughter and love every day. But then I remind myself that it’s within the struggle, that we realize how strong we truly are. It’s within the struggle, that we learn new tools to carry through. It’s through the struggle that we are able to better embrace and experience the joy. My mom’s journey and struggle has given me strength that I didn’t know I needed. Recent life struggles have made me stronger than I ever could have imagined. And both of those experiences, among many others, have allowed me to love the moments of joy and happiness that much more.
Life is short and so very fragile. It can be gone or changed in a blink of an eye. And although that can be a scary thought, it can also be an empowering thought to help us embrace the now and truly live in this moment. The fears, the guilt, the never ending to-do lists, may always be there, but so is the joy and the light.
It’s okay to be sad, overwhelmed and frustrated, but don’t forget to remember that this moment is fleeting, and it’s also okay that in the midst of all of the sad, you find a little joy. It’s okay if you’re having the worst weeks of your life, but yet something makes you laugh or smile. Hold onto that moment with everything you have. It’s your lifeline. Your hope. Your motivation to keep moving forward. Life is so fragile and so short and all of the tough times have made you stronger than you realize, you deserve to feel the joy too. I want to hold onto joy every chance I get.
Xo,
Be Beautifully Simply You
