Trials, Sorrow, Hope

My very precious parents

 Enough trials to make you strong,

Enough sorrow to keep you human,

Enough hope to make you happy.

I took this home after a day on the back roads. I laid the plaque on the hallway stand and read it every time my eyes came across it. It then moved to my boudoir desk, and nowadays it rests on our bedroom dresser. At the time, my trials and sorrow had been few and this I knew when I read these lines for the very first time in the late fall of '09.

Spring of 2010, Dad's kidneys failed and Mom developed a mysterious physical condition. This is when true trials and sorrows entered my life. Today, Dad is doing fabulously well. Mom has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) aka Lou Gehrig's Disease.


The clock is ticking. I want to capture every single precious moment. Must be strong. Selfless. Compassionate.