Sunday, February 13, 2011

Things I learned from Carter

I spent January with Dennison and Robin and their family while Carter went through his first round of treatment. It was a bitter-sweet time: I loved being with them, but the situation was hard on my heart.
Having never been around anyone going through chemotherapy, I wasn't sure what to expect. We had more good days than bad days, and some memories are etched in my mind and are very sweet and comforting to recall.
Carter and me the day I left to go home
During those days and weeks I realized that all challenges are opportunities, and all opportunities include challenges; it’s all in how we look at it. Take advantage of challenges, learn something; don’t just get through it, make the most of it; come to know God, gain experience. That’s easy to say, harder to do. So this is an opportunity for me to learn and grow under circumstances not presented to me before. I kept a journal of sorts and am grateful for the insights I had, and that I wrote them down.
Here is my list of what I learned from my sweet little Carter~
 * be brave when you have to do hard things
 * do what you can for/by yourself
 * ask for help when you need it
 * listen to the boss, no one else
 * find happiness in simple things
 * get out when the sun shines
 * let your happiness show
 * know what you want, don’t settle for less