The Beach, Kites and Atlas

I went to the beach yesterday.  It was a glorious day.  The breeze was just right for kite flying.  In fact I shared a bench with a stranger and just watched folks enjoying their time.  A mother and daughter in particular were having a wonderful time flying a kite on the breeze.  It swooped up and then dived.  And, then back up.  No, I am not going to make any great analogies to life - you can do that for yourself.  It was just fun watching them with their kite and the simple amazement the little girl had at the magic a kite brought into her life.

They were living life in spite of anything that might be going on in it.  No matter how bad other parts of their life might have been, and I have no way of knowing about their life, all was forgotten when flying their kite.  They were living!

And, then there was the guy on the bench next to me.  He was speaking on his phone and between the soft conversations he was having that I couldn't hear, he told me I could not imagine the problems he had.  In looking at him, I noticed several symptoms of diabetes: extra weight, no hair on his legs from mid-calf down, and he was a member of a group that has a higher instance of diabetes.  Whatever was going on in his life, it was consuming him and weighing him down to the point that I thought of the statue of Atlas with the world on his shoulders.

When he left the bench, he very slowly walked down the boardwalk.  Even being at such a lovely place, he could not put down the burdens he was carrying even for a minute.

Where am I going with this?  Well, you have a choice.  You have diabetes, or are in danger of getting it (prediabetes), or there is someone close to you who has just been diagnosed. It's not a death sentence.  Diabetes can be fought.  You can win the battle against the disease.

You see, you have a choice.  Carry diabetes around with you like a disease and lose the battle, or go out and fly a kite.  Accept that you have diabetes in your life, but DO NOT let it define your life.  Enjoy that kite, sand castle, walk, hike, movie, book or whatever you do and live your life.  And, while you are at it, beat the hell out of diabetes!a