We love harder. I'm not sure if it is out of fear or greater appreciation or maybe a combination of both. When we love someone, we love fully, unconditionally. We recognize that in order for someone to love us, they have to look beyond our disease and be willing to sacrifice in many ways to be our partner. In recognition of this, we know that if we want them to love us uncontionally, we must love unconditionally in return. We will walk to the edge of the earth with them because we need them to be willing to carry us to the edge of the earth when we are too weak to walk along. We watch them as they take on our slack and it makes us love them deeper. We study their smile, the twinkle in their eyes and the sound of their voice. We memorize everything about the little moments, when their laughter makes you forget everything else, like it never even existed. Those moments save you and ultimately, their love becomes powerful enough to make you feel alive, even in your worst moments. Once you find it, you don't want to let go because the journey is hard to face alone and because they make you feel like you again, when "you" had been sucked dry by the disease. Just as I can go on for hours about the bad side of crohns, I can go on for many more about the good. We analyze and reflect often, We say, "We're sorry" from a humble heart more often, we live for the good days and we celebrate them when they arrive. There are so many other wonderful things I could mention, but I will leave you with this. We are stronger and we know it. If we can survive this with a humble heart on a daily basis, then we can face and overcome anything!! Be encouraged and be encouraging!!
[And thank you to everyone who has taken the time to come and read this. Thank you believing in me and giving me the opportunity to show you my heart]