Several years ago I met a woman who moved to Wisconsin from Iowa. She and I were just casual friends and saw each other at some Ozaukee County Newcomer functions. We would have smiling conversations once in awhile and slowly she shared some of her family story.
Her son, a young doctor, had gone through some very, very serious health challenges. He and his young wife met each one of the difficult hurdles after another with family and friends gathered around to support them. His story included three liver transplants and the complications and long recuperation periods after each operation. The details were just so complex and hearing his story and knowing what it's like to be a mother (without a son or daughter facing such life-threatening ordeals) my heart would ache for her and for him and his wife. And I don't know the young couple at all.
One story that the young doctor shared on his own blog was a comment from one of his patients that he always remembered. From her hospital bed the woman said to him, "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful." I wrote the sentence down on a little scrap of paper and stuck it on my desk.
As we all go through this new COVID life and wonder what the future will bring I remember the comment and now it means something to me too. "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful." I thank my friend's son for sharing the quote and for facing our current world-wide-share-at-a-distance-life with such strength and courage. A toast to him, his wife, his family his friends.....and my family and friends.
"Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."
It's true. Thank you!
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