A thank you letter that will never be enough.
I’ve been struggling with a way to sum up this past year in one perfectly wrapped year-end post, all tied up with ribbons, nice and neat. I’ve begun this post countless times, always trying to find the best way to convey to all of you exactly what this year has been like. I have wanted to share with you how much your love and support (and mustaches) have meant to me this year. But it’s been a complete waste of time. I could never sum up what I have taken away from this year in one pretty post.
This year wasn’t pretty. This year was hard. It rocked me to my core. I am still fighting to reclaim much of who I once was, rebuilding pieces of who I want to be, and learning to make peace with the loss of things I can’t get back. Throughout this year, I felt an incredible range of emotions, from anger and fear, to acceptance and gratitude. The one thing I never felt was alone. In so many different ways, your tweets, your emails, your offers to help, your prayers, hugs and smiles, you guys helped me navigate through this year with hope and gratitude, and some days, maybe, just a little bit of grace.
Some of you, and you know who you are, sat at my bedside and held my hand. Others held my children, and made sure my family was fed. Some of you, without being asked, just kept showing up. It is something I will never forget, and those acts of kindness will shape the way my children live their lives and how they treat others. We are forever changed because once upon a time, a girl fell down, and an entire community came together to pick her up, dust her off, and carry her awhile until she could walk on her own.
I cannot think of any words of my own to express what I feel when I think back on this year. More than anything else, the thing that resonates most was more than just never feeling alone. You made me feel protected. Protected. That’s huge. It meant more to me than you could possibly know. There were times when it was harder than normal to pick myself up and get through one more treatment, one more hospital stay, one more fucking MRI. It’s those moments that I don’t talk about. I don’t tweet about them. Those are the moments that I have to dig deep. I have to forgive myself for feeling so weak, so sad. I have to pull it all back together and remember that my life is beautiful, even if this moment is not. I remember earlier this year, sitting in the quiet, listening to this song, it made me think of all of you. Loving me, protecting me, never letting me stand alone, and I thought, “This is going to be okay.” You did that. I am forever grateful.
Timshel, Mumford and Sons
Thank you, for everything. I’ll eat you up, I love you so.
Beautiful, and you are so blessed.
To have so many people doing so much for you, when you needed, just tells me you would do the same for them.
When you see someone surrounded by so much love, it’s because they’ve given it out first.
I’ve loved finding out about you. This post tells a lot.
LikeLike
Some day, Sara, I would be honored to meet you. I don’t understand how you can capture all of the beauty and love into so few words. Thank you for showing me a wider view.
Wade
LikeLike
You rock socks Sara! Keep healing! You are loved and appreciated. So much!
Here’s to a wonderful 2011 for you and your family. Let me know if I can ever help.
LikeLike
Wow, your story hits deep. I am so proud of you and your strength. You are an inspiration.
After 2 major spine surgeries this year I feel for you and offer you whatever strength I have. Yes, hospitals, MRI’s, needles and injections, meds, etc. A daily struggle that makes us stronger and more determined. Hugs
LikeLike
You made me push to be better to be more like you. Sara you are an amazing woman and you are my HERO.
LikeLike