It's all so true. Growing up is painful, isn't it?! I know what you mean about thinking we could do without so much growth if we could be spared the pain. Some kindhearted but clueless person said to me the other day, "Even though your son's problems are hard, I bet you just wouldn't change a thing." Um, no. Wouldn't I defeat little John's seizure disorder if I could? Eliminate his allergies? Convince him to eat with his mouth instead of a feeding tube? Feed him Cheerios and peaches and milk and peas instead of vitamin and mineral powder and MCT oil? Allow him to play with toys freely, roll over, sit up, crawl, stand, walk, and talk like all the other 1-year-olds? I'd sacrifice my own personal growth (or my life for that matter) to have those things any day! But we don't choose our challenges, we only choose whether or not we will let them work to make us stronger. Thanks for reminding us all of that.
You are also a great example of true patience, which contrary to common usage doesn't just mean sitting around quietly waiting or just accepting things as they are. It means actively working toward a worthwhile goal even though the reward may be far off and require persistent effort over many years. Sometimes when I feel impatient with the pace of medical care or my son's progress I remind myself, "What would my life look like if I were truly impatient? I would have given up. I would have said, 'Nothing has worked yet, so I give up.' But I keep on going, and that is real patience." Thanks for this wonderful post.
I so needed to read this just now. Thanks so much. It's amazing how I can bounce from grief to acceptance multiple times each day. Life can be one huge roller coaster, but in the end I'm sure I'll be begging to do it all over again.