We are authors of our own stories, and captains of our own ships. Life brings us inspiration from many sources and I believe those are sent to us from God. Maybe they come to us in a dream, in a breathtaking sunrise, or in a perfect stranger who walks into your hospital room one overcast November day, while you struggle with a catastrophic stroke that has turned your life upside down. That last example is of course how Celia first came into my life. Little did I know that on that day, I was not only meeting my speech therapist who came with the same type of device that I am writing this BLOG on now. But is also someone I would soon regard as one of the most selfless and kind people I have ever met in my nearly 63 years of life. Writing about Celia is difficult for me. Only because one BLOG post could never do her justice. Nonetheless, I will try to do my best. Not so long ago, Celia undertook what was a fairly risky endeavor, starting a business on the heels of a worldwide pandemic. It was also a very precarious time financially in our country. It still is in my opinion. And although it was a business that was steeped in government and insurance company red tape, she did so anyway because of her desire to help others. That’s about the time I took over all of the publishing duties of our BLOG. She insisted she could still do the BLOG publishing duties. I had no doubt she could, but I knew firsthand the complications of a new business and didn’t want to add to that. I soon regretted my decision but mostly because it meant that I no longer had an excuse for the nearly daily contact with her I was used to. It was ultimately a good move for me as it pushed me to learn new skills and grow. I recently saw a Facebook entry by her that talked about her impending 40th birthday and how she would challenge herself by as she put it, “to try and or learn 40 new things” by her 40th birthday, which is to occur in about six months. We often make the decision to challenge ourselves either mentally or physically. Rarely though do we make those decisions public for everyone to pass judgment and hold us accountable for our actions or lack thereof. It might be we want to learn a new language or go back to school. Or perhaps we desire to go on a diet or start working out. If we don’t tell anybody, there won’t be anyone questioning that candy bar and big gulp you are having for lunch. This is not a dress rehearsal that we are living. Growth is achieved through the challenges we place on ourselves. When applied correctly to your car, cruise control can be a freeing thing. But when we apply that same idea to our lives it can have a detrimental effect, causing us to become complacent in our lives. Disclosing your goals publicly is a brave thing. Very Celia–like. From my view, it’s the kind of thing Celia does daily. She came into my life as a breath of fresh air. She’s shown to me to be an answer to my prayers, and those who know her know that she is a beautiful soul. I love you my friend!
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