I am filling out an application for a symposium I'd like to attend, and it asked me the following question," What are the three most important messages about heart disease you want to convey to other women?"
Hmmm. I wrote a stellar answer which will certainly be published in some Cardiac Quarterly Magazine (not) but it got me thinking...
#1. Don't have a cardiac arrest if your sister doesn't know CPR.
#2. Don't have a cardiac arrest if you don't have an AED nearby.
#3. TRY NOT TO HAVE A CARDIAC ARREST! (Mr. Obvious told me this one!)
Those were not the answers I really wrote, but my Smarty-pants Senses were tingling! Actually, I started thinking about all of my people that I love and care about. Then I started thinking about my cardiac arrest...for real. I let it sink in for a minute, as I sometimes do. I might cry at this point. Feel free to join me if you'd like, or not. It's up to you.
I got thinking of the more important question. "What are the three most important messages you want to convey to others." Now, those others could be blog readers, or good friends (or both.) They could be my kids or grand kids. What are the three most important things I'd want people to know before my time is up? That's a lot more to think about. These may change over time, but today here they are.
#1. God Loves You. I fully and completely believe that this one sentence is the reason I was allowed to survive my heart stopping. This is my message. This is the meaning of my entire existence. It is the peace that allows me to sleep at night, and my purpose for rising every morning. It carries me through every dark valley, and raises me to the heights of the angels with joy over every blessing I witness. It is the answer to all my questions, and the greatest gift I have ever received or given. This is my hope, and my prayer for all of you. That you will know this in every cell of your being. Some of my dear ones mistakenly believe that because they were not conceived of a loving relationship that they were not created in love. Father, Son and Spirit conspired to have you come into being to be a blessing to those of us who know and love you, and our lives would be less without the joy that you are. That sounds like conceived of love to me.
#2. I Love You. Okay, so this one is considerably less important than #1. But we all have those days when we wonder if we even matter. Stop wondering, you matter. You matter to me. The fact that you are willing to read my writing makes me feel fulfilled and like I want God to speak to you through my words. This makes me pray for you. Which makes me care about you more. Love you, even. Especially those I know well. And you know who you are!
#3. You are worthwhile. This one took a long time for me to learn about myself. It's not anyone else's fault, I'm kind of a slow learner about some things. I didn't know that I mispronounced the word "Caterpillar" until I was late into my 30's. I only recently realized that my Jehovah's witness friend from college wanted me to pay him for the books he shared with me. Sometimes I'm slow on the uptake. Still, I'm worthwhile. So are you. You are worth the time and effort to listen to and hear. You have good ideas, and should act on some of them. If you are Isaac, I hope you only act on the safer ones, and that they involve a minimum of Ninja skills. Still, it's important to know this about yourself because it totally changes the way you allow people to treat you. I wish I'd had this list a lot sooner, but time is a great teacher. I hope that all of my children, sisters, brothers, and friends know that I feel this way. If I am not treating you this way, let me know. You are worth my time... and more importantly, if you refer back to #1, you are worth God's time and effort.
So for today, this is my big three. I don't know that they will change any one's life but mine. Putting them to paper reminds me of what's important. That should affect the way I treat people. I hope you all know you are loved...by God, Me, and hopefully by yourself.
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