When I was first diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder I didn’t think my life was over but I knew my life was forever changed.  It was hard to accept at first that things would be different.  I could still do many of the things I used to do but I had to take extra care to prepare for the worst.  Even though I enjoy my life I am regularly reminded of my limitations.

Of course I wish I had my full health but with the wisdom I gained from having to change things, believe it or not, made most of it worth it.  I have come to appreciate all I have learned from the lows and the highs.  

Every correct step and every misstep has contributed to who I am today.  In the struggle is where I learn to live and learn to appreciate the absurdity of life.

With what we are going through in the world right now is much like what I had to go through when I first got ill.  It felt like this pandemic was going to be temporary and for a time we got frustrated waiting for things to go back to the way they were. We eventually learned to adapt and appreciate those small experiences that are unique to these times… I have enjoyed eating in converted patios at restaurants and even though the Disneyland Resort isn’t fully open, I’ve enjoyed the unique experience of what is open. Experiences and memorable moments that would have never happened in a pre-pandemic world.  

I hope that by the time things do settle back down that everyone can experience the joy I felt after having life disrupted. It will never be the same but that doesn’t mean it is something less than what it was before. I hope we return to a world that has been changed and made better by the shared experiences. Even with the great losses many of us faced over the last few months, I hope we can look back on this time fondly. Instead of seeing this time as a pause, we can see it as the beginning of something better that would have never happened without it.