To Anyone Struggling to Complete the Small Tasks Today

Every morning, before my feet hit the floor, I am in a state of surprise. From sleeping in one position, or medicine being out of my system – I am in shock, after 10 years of living with this monster that took over my body.

I think to myself, “I can’t do this. I cannot stand up. I cannot walk across the house. I cannot go to the grocery store. The farm feed store. I cannot… anything.” But I do. I get up. I walk across the house. Make coffee. All in time to get heavy anti-inflammatory meds in time to get in the car and drive to the bus stop (usually in time).

There are times I want a trophy for doing the smallest of tasks. A ribbon for walking to the bathroom, which leaves me out of breath at times (costochondritis). A gold medal for going to the store, which leaves me exhausted the next day. But, guess what? It doesn’t work that way.

I wonder how many people are feeling this? Possibly they lost a parent, and dragged themselves to the grocery store. A single mom who used her last five dollars to make a meal work out for her four kids. A wife who works two jobs to make ends meet, savoring her family time. We may be drowning, but we are all each other’s life preservers.

Our words are our trophies. So, gold medal to the single mom making dinner work. A trophy for the wife/mom working overtime. A ribbon to the chronically ill parent making it through each day. A sash for the grieving wife, daughter, mother, son – for pushing yourself to do the seemingly impossible

I see you.

We can do this.

Give someone a trophy of encouragement today. It may be their lifeline.