Life Goes On

I can't tell you how often I ask myself, "Is this for real?"  The question usually crosses my mind in the middle of the most mundane tasks - folding laundry, bathing the boys, washing dishes.

Life goes on.

It was the first huge realization I had after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Kevin and I made it back to Cleveland after our first meeting with Dr. Weaver in Nashville. It was late, and we stopped at Wal-Mart. I don't even remember what we needed. I decided to wait in the car while Kevin ran in. There were people coming and going, walking the same path yet with completely different intentions and manners. Some were laughing, some were talking on their phone, some walked with their head down.

It felt very weird. Here I was sitting in the car trying to absorb this massive pile of information that had landed in my lap less than 12 hours prior, and these people are shopping at Wal-Mart. WAL-MART! They had no idea I was scared. They had no idea I was confused and overwhelmed. They had no idea I even existed.

To me it felt like God had pressed the pause button on my life, but He didn't. Watching those people continue on with their daily lives made me realize that life goes on. It doesn't stop just because we receive a bad report from the doctor. It doesn't stop when a loved one dies. Life does not come with the option to play, pause, or stop. We won't even mention rewind and forward.

We must choose every day how we will react to the things thrown our way. I did not give up that night, and I will not give up now. I choose to keep moving forward, all the while tending to the daily needs of my family.