Pity Is Not For Me

I very rarely mention Sam's heart condition when we meet new groups of people.  I enjoy getting to know new friends without feeling like we are somehow pitied for Sam's condition.  Most people do not recognise Sam's state of health unless I mention it or is having and unusually blue day. 

I do not feel sorry for our family.  In fact I would call our lives exceptional, full of love and lived with fervour.  I tell my children at least three times a day that they are loved and hear it reciprocated from their lips.  It is true that Sam and our family suffer in some ways, but we are not alone and are not to be pitied.  We see all manner of sadness and heart ache in families around us, and I count our family as blessed not cursed by the circumstances we find ourselves in.  You see we have learned humility, patience, and peace when there should be chaos, and all of these things have made us who we are.  We love each other lavishly with little regard to who might be watching and make time to do little things that mean a lot.  We know that each of our day's is a treasure not to be held lightly.  We have learned that God is more real than the food we eat and that his promises are the only anchor in both calm seas and the most ferocious of storms.

So you see pity is not for me, and when I see it reflected in the faces of others I do not blame them.  It is simply a reaction to an awkward moment.  However when we part company, I want them to know that I am not a woman to be pitied but rather a woman passionate about my family, my God and making the most of each day I am given.