I wanted to take a moment to share my story with you about how Life is good has changed my life. About three years ago I was diagnosed with a chronic illness that changed my whole world. I was at the peak of health. I had lost a lot of weight and after years of being a couch potato, I was running, cycling, swimming, etc. I was in love with how great my body looked and felt. Then suddenly something changed. I woke up one day and was exhausted. I figured I had overdone it the day before, so I took a day off from work. As I was sitting at home, watching bad daytime TV, I noticed that some spots on my leg were numb.
To make a long story short, after months of testing and more exhausted days than good days, I finally had a diagnosis. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I would later be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia as well as I developed a lot of pain over time. My days of running and cycling ended. Most days I am lucky if I can sustain myself for a 20-30 minute walk. And when I do I usually come home and nap for a couple of hours. I have gained a lot of weight back. I went through a terrible period of depression. And then I was given a gift — a t-shirt from Life is good that said "Half Full". Aside from being the most comfortable t-shirt I own, it quickly became a representation of how I wanted to look at the world. I have nearly worn it out (and have patched it a few times). It reminds me that I am alive, that my life is different, but it is not over, and that I can change the world simply by being me and sharing my experience. It's a perfect reminder that life truly is good... and that goodness can come from life's unpredictability. I saw an anonymous quote today that sums it up: "Just because it's not what you were expecting doesn't mean it's not everything you've been waiting for".
So my message is simple (and borrowed) - Life is good. And remember that every situation, every day, can be half-full if you let it.
Thank you for reading my story.
Karen