Happy Birthday to Me!


So I turned 34 over the weekend. Thank goodness Johnny whisked me away on a vacation to upstate New York and Vermont for the week...when you're on vacation, it's impossible to feel any older.

The vacation was great, and we drove (about 7 hours each way) because flying at this point wasn't encouraged by the docs. We stopped overnight in New York City on the way up, and at the cutest little inn on the way back, breaking up the trip into very manageable chunks. I didn't do one ounce of driving, though, so I don't really know what I would have considered "unmanageable". Johnny was great about stopping for Momma to go weewee, get a snack, and the like. The driving portion went pretty quickly, and we had plenty of time for conversation, games, and reflection . We don't really get bored with one another; it seems we always have something to chitchat about.

During the week, I had an opportunity to reflect on the past year. I can tell you one thing - I never thought this is what 34 years old would look like. I definitely didn't think I'd be on baby #1 (maybe my third, but not numero uno); I didn't have plans of being happily retired, and I didn't know Systemic Lupus would be a household name. Goes to show, you never know what's in store.

And to think that I am so perfectly content with life right now! For years, I struggled to control my life's plan down to the last detail. I viewed life in general as something over which I had complete control. I thought nothing could happen to me without my endorsement first. So when Lupus hit, I thought I had a say in whether or not it stayed around. This misperception caused me much frustration and difficulty, not to mention extreme pain and suffering, none of which I wanted any part of.

But over time, I began to realize that the only part of my life I was in charge of was choosing how gracefully I accepted the events that transpired in my life, good and bad. In fact, if I gave up this unrealistic power I was so anxious to hold onto, maybe I would start the healing I was so desperate to receive.

Which leads me to my six-word memoir meme...a blog challenge that one of my faithful readers and favorite bloggers, dc at Lupus Pie, tagged me for. Check out her lupus/infertility blog when you get the chance - she's great!

The idea for this meme was prompted by the book "Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure," by Larry Smith & Rachel Fershleiser. In the book, the writers recount the infamous tale that Hemingway once bet ten dollars he could sum up his life in six words. Hemingway's words were, "For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn." He won the bet.

Here's my attempt at a 6-worder...complete with illustration.


Exceedingly happy with life's unexpected plan

Even though this may be cheating...here are my two runner ups, both which hit on major points in my book:

Happily loosening my grip on life
OR
Regaining control without gripping the wheel

Sorry if I just broke all the rules (by listing 18 total words!), but I'm an aspiring writer, what can I say?

Here are the official rules for the six-word memoir meme:
1. Write your own six word memoir.

2. Post it to your blog (including a visual illustration, if you so choose).

3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post, http://www.lupuspie.blogspot.com/ and to this original post http://bookbabie.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/6-word-memior-meme/, so we can track it as it travels across the blogsphere.

4. Tag 5 more blogs with links.

5. Don't forget to leave a comment in the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.


Here are my tags. Can't wait to see your cleverness come alive:

Rebecca (link coming!)

Comments

DC said…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! :)

Great job with the memoir. I love all three!
Anonymous said…
It's not cheating, lots of folks have written more than one! Thanks so much for playing and happy birthday:)

Popular Posts