The curse is broken!!! I am sure if you know where I am from, you have already guessed what I am talking about. Yup, the CUBS WINNING THE WORLD SERIES!!! After over a century of dry spell, the Cubs was able to break the 108-years curse by clinching the best title in the baseball history. I have to say the play-off games were a nail-biter and the World Series game almost gave me a heart attack. It was a night to remember and my 2 sons who were at Wrigley Field bars watching the game described the moment the Cubs won as euphoric, unbelievable and just unforgettable. The Cubs legacy imprinted in our hearts will be treasured forever.
That brings me to my next question.........what kind of legacy do I want to leave behind? Can I leave a legacy worth living for with a disease that consumes me on a daily basis?
Prior to my diagnosis, I have always lived with the motto: to treat others as how you want to be treated and live each day like your last. It was simple and uncomplicated. I taught my 3 children to be kind, respecting others always, loving and compassionate. However, Parkinson's disease encroached onto my life and now, I have to rethink how I need to change my legacy.
Life can be cruel and until we experienced it, courage to live each day is never a question that crosses our minds. However, as death rate is guaranteed at 100% so is life's curveballs and battles. How we face these challenges is crucial to the people around us especially our children. My children see my struggles every day and along with it, how I am fighting this disease. My children consistently tell me how courageous I am and how proud they are of the way I am handling my challenges/struggles. Oh, they have seen me in my moments of weaknesses which is totally fine as they need to see the human side of me too. But each time I am weak, the rise in my strength and courage return with full force as succumbing to an illness will never be an option for me. I want my children to ride high during their waves of success, joy and happiness, but when their waves crash into the deep abyss to not give up but get back up to ride high on those waves again. Living life with courage is a choice and a must in order to survive this imperfect world. Just like the Cubs leaving a legacy one cannot forget, I hope I can leave my children a legacy one cannot survive without.......COURAGE.
