Self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-love are lifelong processes.
Bob Greene

If you want to find the answers to the Big Questions about your soul, you’d best begin with the Little Answers about your body.
George Sheehan

Sometime in your life you will go on a journey. It will be the longest journey you have ever taken. It is the journey to find yourself.
Katherine Sharp

The new year is upon us, so that means many are planting seeds of potential changes as 2010 rolls on. Me? Well, I always want to maintain good health. However, I think of the month of August on New Year’s Day. The late summer is when I was dx’d with type 1 (back-to-school time).

Of course, the 1978 memories are somewhat dim, but this is the time when I started falling apart. I’ve waxed episodic about the amazement of my survival, but it’s more than that. Some of us here who’ve had it for eons may seem like we have achieved total balance at first glance. That’s not entirely true, but we sure do try our best.

It has been decades of being totally aware of what I always have. I guess what separates me from the non-D public is that I’m practiced in the art of public deception. In fact, a significant part of my energy used to be not appearing as uncomfortable as I felt. For me, appearing at ease and relaxed was exhausting. This is because no matter how well everything may seem to be going, I knew that I was always minutes away from something horrible. I had set up the pins; karma picked up her bowling ball. I’m an actor without a SAG card.

Awareness is really a positive thing. It’s not a portal of shame. Who could possibly have the nerve to say “Hey Jennifer, you sure don’t know what you’re doing!” I’m sorry, what? I’m aware of how people with chronic illness are viewed by the world. And to think it wouldn’t even provoke others if we could eat a piece of German chocolate cake in peace! I think their awareness combined with our awareness really translates into acceptance. As Bob Greene said, it’s a lifelong process.