Around this time of year, pretty much everyone I meet says “Happy New Year” to me. I always say the same thing back, as I am a friendly sort. For people with a terminal illness, the passage of time is not always such a joyous event. New Years is a time for reflection, for hoping, and planning a new year. For me, the time spent in the past is difficult. Difficult to see what I was able to do a year ago and cannot now. Difficult to look farther back when I didn’t have this disease hanging over my head. The mind is tricky, these sad thoughts can creep up anytime, not just on the passing of a year; but also on the turning of the seasons, a birthday, an annual event…

However, this New Years was relatively easy. These thoughts did not creep into my psyche. I have been trying to practice gratitude as much as possible. In spite of my ALS, I have so much to be thankful for, here are but a few:

• a house I can call our own
• a wonderful husband and daughters to share it with
• a large extended family who offer much support and love
• a caring community that I am proud to be a part of
• food on my table every day
• knowledge and access to books and materials to help me make choices about alternative treatments and modalities
• a country with a decent health care system