Last night when I went to bed after watching the season premier of the Mentalist, I was trying to come up with an idea for a blog today. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to write about, I have a thousand different ideas, but just hadn't picked the one. I thought I could write about how pretty fall is like my mother wants, but I think that topic will be better left for when the trees are changing colors and I have some good pictures to back me up. When I read Debra's blog this morning about 'hanging on' I knew what I was supposed to write about today.
One of the events that really gets me excited each year is the Preston County Buckwheat festival. I love the trek to Kingwood for buckwheat cakes and sausage and I just love the atmosphere. I enjoy walking through the car show and the arts and crafts buildings, and I enjoy sitting in the Bingo tent playing .25 cent bingo...hoping that I can get bingo before the 81 year old women sitting beside me. This year, the Buckwheat festaval marks a special note for me personally. Last year around the festival weekend was when I started feeling ill and ultimatley on October the 15th I was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
It has been a difficult year for myself and for my family who has lost several members to various diseases and alments and several people have been sick with various things. However for me, it has also been a learning experience. I have learned more about the medical world than I ever really cared to know, but more importantly I have learned who my true friends are. Ironically some of the ones that I thought I could really depend on disappeared like illegal aliens when immigration showed up at the work site, and some of the people that I didn't really count on have really stepped up to the plate to offer their support and well wishes. I have also gained a few friends and become closer with much of my family.
The people that haven't stuck around or that have distanced themselves, it dosen't really bother me. I consider it like spring cleaning when you get rid of all the crap you don't need anymore. These people where just taking up space and I am actually glad that they have been 'tossed' out of my closet.
Situations like this provide a really good 'gut check' and really make a person realize what they are thankful for. I know there are many sayings out there like: live in the moment or stop and smell the roses, but however you put it just remember not to take anything for granted and appreciate your friends and family and everything that you have, because it could always be worse. Now I am going to go appreciate the pumpkin pie that I just took out of the oven!
