It is well with my soul

I am thankful that life does not hand us just happiness or sorrow. That in the midst of sorrow there is JOY, it is not either/or. I am finding greater joy in my family and friends.

I am playing PS3 with Jeff and getting my butt whipped in NCAA basketball, but we are having fun! Jeff, the little turkey put my team in historical jerseys, so they had those dorky, short,shorts. I told Jeff that was humiliating to my team and they could not play to their fullest potential dressed like that and I made Jeff change my teams’ uniform! My team still lost, but it was fun. I definitely found where my son gets his competitive nature – ME!

Allie (a.k.a. Allison Min-Joy) and I play a silly “name the animal” game. We give each other clues to an animal and then we guess what animal it is. Her favorite animal to describe has 4 legs, brown and it flies. This particular day, Allie said gave this description but said the animal had polka dots on it and then she added “they pull Santa’s sleigh” but I didn’t hear that last clue and guessed “lady bugs.” She burst out laughing saying lady bugs don’t pull Santa’s sleigh. Imagine lady bugs pulling Santa’s sleigh and we laughed and laughed!

My friends Jen & Kevin are waiting for the birth of her first child, a daughter named Sophie. I have never met someone who is so excited about life in general and about becoming a mother. Jen’s joy is contagious!

Joy exists side by side with grief. While grieving is necessary and important I must hold it in balance because grief is NOT despair. I name my grief, own it, live with it and integrate it into my life. I carry both the sorrow and joy, it forms me, BUT grief does not define who I am.

PS - I pre-dated this blog. I'm still in silence at my retreat! Shhhh please