Each year at this time I usually post something about gratitude, thankfulness, or even just about my Thanksgiving holiday. To be honest, sometimes my posts feel similar to those of previous years.
But not this year. This year my heart is full of genuine gratitude and an over-abundance of joy after an extremely difficult 2023.
At this time last year, I had just had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor and had begun preventative chemotherapy treatment. While I labored to keep a stiff upper lip, the truth was that most days I didn't get out of bed. When I was able to move around a bit, my days looked nothing like my previous life. It was discouraging, depressing, and even frightening. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, while I did have a middle grade novel published in the fall of 2023, I was unable to have a book event or promote it much at all. However, at that time my mind was on more serious matters, like whether I was going to survive or not. I'm still not out of the woods but will take my quarterly and annual checkups in stride as best I can.
Fast forward to 2024. By March I had not only completed my chemotherapy treatment but had learned that my son and daughter-in-law were expecting their first child. (My first grandchild.) As each month passed this year, I could feel myself getting stronger. By the end of summer, I nearly felt like my old self. By October, I was thrilled to welcome my granddaughter, Adeline Joy, into our lives. I was able to have a belated book event earlier this month, and just last week learned from my oncologist, that my quarterly blood work looks good.
While I always have much to be grateful for, 2024 has been something special. Spending Thanksgiving Day with family this year is something I'll always cherish. As the phrase goes, "my cup runneth over."
