Defining My 1st Goal

This past week we celebrated my daughter's 18th birthday and my 47th birthday.  Yes, there, I said it.  But as I told everyone this weekend, better to have a birthday than not.  I appreciate them more perhaps than those who aren't living with Cancer.  (I don't really want this blog to be about Cancer, but it has shaped much of my outlook these past few years, so it will be referred to occasionally.)  I have been doing a lot of soul searching since I was diagnosed to discover what I should be doing with this new phase of my life.  Things that seemed important before, don't really have that oomph anymore.  I am more interested in finding things to do that are enjoyable with the people that I love.

My oldest daughter leaves for college in a couple of weeks. I have another daughter that will be a sophomore in high school this year.  The time has flown by.  As my oldest daughter and I sat and talked to a friend recently, we realized that there are many things in our own hometown area that we have not done and explored.  I have been thinking about that and have come to the conclusion that we have been in a rut.  Between school, homework, the business that my husband and I own, we have not taken the time to enjoy the things around us.

You may have thought I was going to tell you my new goal was to weigh a certain amount by a certain date. Well, that will be a goal in the future, but today's goal is to rediscover living and having fun.  I know this is a broad, undefinable goal, so maybe it is a dream.  But, hey, that's what this blog is about, looking at goals and dreams and defining them...

I am calling it a goal because I'm going to be very deliberate about it. For my birthday, I got my family out of the house and to downtown to eat lunch at a really fun food truck.  Something we normally wouldn't do.  We have always been very predictable about where we go eat.  Next week I have a date with a friend to try paddle boarding for the first time.  It may be interesting considering I have had my hip completely rebuilt and friends are going to have to help me get on the board.  But, if people without arms can surf, maybe, just maybe, I can paddle board.

Perhaps to make it seem more like a goal I should define the number of times I will try something new.  And I may do that over the next few weeks. However, I also want to find the joy and fun in the small things - like attending all of my youngest daughter's volleyball games this year.  I missed much of my oldest daughter's activities her sophomore and junior year dealing with the pain and the cancer.  I am choosing not to let the cancer make my choices.  This is what I will do to LIVE with Cancer and not just live with cancer.