In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I was reminded of a week of my life when it was just God and I as I battled an illness, and I shared my thoughts on social media. This was nine years ago today and is still a reminder of just how fragile life is. I wanted to share my thoughts again today as another reminder...

Seven years ago today, I was not watching TV, I was not on social media, I was not worried about how the president was doing, riots, and whether it is right or wrong to wear a mask in public. I was not worried about my career, whether to physically send my nine year old to school, how much exposure my three month old should get to groups of people, or how much it is worth debating political views on Facebook. 

You see seven years ago this week, my family and I spent Monday together on a trip to a cavern in State College Pennsylvania that I do not remember. After an entire day of pain and agony, smiling to not ruin my son's day of fun, my wife drove me straight to the ER that night and I was admitted to the hospital. 

What was supposed to be a week of vacation ended with me in the hospital quarantined with just me and God, and trust me, I talked to God, cried to God, and pleaded with God not to take me that week.

That week, I somehow contracted Viral Meningitis which they think was a normal cold or flu that penetrated my blood stream. The swelling of my Cerebral Spinal Fluid was crushing my brain causing a pain that is indescribable. 

For the first few days, they did not know if it was viral or bacterial so I could not be around anyone, and to see them walk in the room wearing full suits and head covering was a bit unnerving as well.

What was worse is the lack of knowledge about the disease. Nobody ever really talked about it, so I had no idea what to expect, but I knew that the disease can turn fatal quickly. Just the thought that I was being stubborn when my wife wanted to take me to the hospital left me feeling grateful to be alive. My father also told me that I better get to the ER right away. 

That week, I could not look at a TV, or a cell phone screen, and could not even have a light on in the room. If I did, I would have uncontrollable and unbearable head and eye pain.

I understand that there is a huge amount of fear, hate, divide, and unrest in the world right now, but I want to challenge you to take time to step back from it all and realize that the breath you just took was a blessing from God. In the end, we all have a limited number of days on earth, so instead of fighting about our differences, take time to celebrate our similarities. 

The truth is, there is not a single other person in the world that acts just like you, thinks just like you, or looks just like you, so accept that fact, and love the next person in the same way that God loves you, unconditionally, because one day, your time here will be up, and all the arguing and debating on FB will not matter. What will matter is what you did to make life more enjoyable for people around you, how you carried yourself when nobody was looking but God, and whether God will look at you with favor over the canvas that you painted over the lifespan of your days here on earth. 

Be grateful for that breath you just took...

Be humble...

Be kind...

Be somebody that you would want to be around...

If you do this, I truly believe that God will take care of the rest !!!

Until Next Time...