Something Sweet with Susan

People often ask me, “How are you doing?”  This is not the friendly greeting type of question – it’s sincere.  When I respond, “I’m doing good,” there it is – THE LOOK.

I always feel a bit awkward and wonder what that look means.  

Really?

You can’t mean that.

She’s hiding something.

What are you not telling me?

It is a true answer.  I am honestly doing well.  I live in a daily attitude of gratitude.  I know my disease is progressive and degenerative and I may not always be able to answer in this way.

I believe my positive attitude is something I learned from my Dad.  When I think of him, the first thing that comes to mind is seeing him sitting on the back porch swing with his Bible.  Every morning he had a cup of coffee and read his Bible. This is exactly what I do every morning and I have grown to feel this was the best gift from my Dad.  I don’t have a porch swing, but I have several favorite reading places in my house where I spend those first moments of the day in communication with God.

Life hands us many things that we would never choose.  I believe we have a choice in how we handle those challenges.  Difficult times are when we are most likely to pray and to continue to pray through the challenges we face.  When life is easy, we tend to take things on ourselves, but if we continue to pray through the easy times we will find even more blessings.  

I’ve learned to answer the question of how I’m doing by saying,  “I’m doing good.  My meds are keeping all of my symptoms under control.  Thank you for asking.”  I truly appreciate my friends and their concern for my well-being.  

Remember it’s your attitude that will define you, not your diagnosis.  Don’t let the hard days win.

“Jesus said to him, “‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed.  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”
John 20:29