That experience changed me. Most people do not wrestle with their own mortality at such a young age. What did your life look like at age twenty-three? What were your goals? Your ambitions? Your dreams? Your desires? Were they focused on avoiding death?
April 19th, 2013 served as a drastic refocusing of my life.
I know many who can personally relate to that drastic refocusing. They have their own individual "I should be dead" stories. Within our survivor community, we have an inexplicable passion that looks absolutely ridiculous to the outside world.
We have a difficult disease to manage and yet you will find us...
Completing Marathons.
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| Elesha after the Surf City Half Marathon in Huntington Beach, CA. 2017 |
Exploring Alaska.
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| Eva at Tangled Lakes, Alaska. 2014 |
Earning advanced degrees.
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| Anne Marie worked full time as a MediVac flight nurse while earning her Dual Masters in Nursing. 2016 |
Publishing books.
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| Wendy showing off one of her books from a hospital bed in Hong Kong. 2018 |
The outside world tells us to slow down. To let up. To back off. To take it easy. But here's the thing...
We cannot.
We understand how precious our life is and we are determined to not waste it.
We love deeply.
We encourage incessantly.
We explore passionately.
We dream of turning our pain, our struggles, our journey into hope for others.
We are Clearly Alive.
May our passion be infectious. May our joy be contagious. May our focus inspire you to not take your life for granted.
Five years ago, I almost died.
Today, I am Clearly Alive.
I challenge y'all to join with me.
