Celebrate Life!
It’s been in the darkest hours of my life that I have needed to celebrate life. But it’s only recently that I have gotten the courage to do so. What could be more darker to face than death, and that’s what I am about to do as I go through the process of receiving a double lung transplant. Yet, why am I so happy?
We all have different shit going on in our lives. Some of us are ending relationships. Some of us lose loved ones. Some of us are battling cancer. Some have financial difficulties. Whatever the case, we all have something to deal with and neither of us are immune to any of the blows that life throw at us from time to time. I had a conversation recently with a man who had stage 4 lymphoma. He had the kindest smile. When I asked him how some he was so happy and how he was able to be so strong, you know what he said to me? “Because every day I celebrate life!” He told me that we as human beings have the tendency to get so caught up in the day-to-day things in life that we forget to take the time to stop and smell how good that coffee is we are drinking. Or admire the beautiful surroundings nature has to offer, rather than just drive on by. What an attitude!!
I pray that this attitude is one that I can nurture as I move forward. I do consider myself someone who takes the time to enjoy the simple things in life. There is no cost associated with admiring a sunset or smelling flowers at the local park. These simple things in life are what brings the greatest joy. I too have been asked in very recent days how I am able to be so strong and hold it all together despite having so much going on in my life. And the reason is because I just want to celebrate the time I have left and not worry about tomorrow.
I have a tattoo, the first one I ever got with my great friend Shara. It is inside of my right upper arm and it says, “No day but today”. I adapted this way of life from the movie Rent. Have a ‘no day but today’ approach on life has brought me great joy in the past year. What that means to me is, not worrying about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have its own anxieties, its best to focus in the NOW for that is all we have control over. And added to that, tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us. So why should we waist any of our time worrying about things that may never happen?
Truth is, I’m scared to death to get my lung transplant. I think anyone who tells you otherwise going through this process is liar! lol It’s scary stuff! It’s not every day you are faced with having to get your rib cage cut in two, and then have your lungs hauled out of you in exchange for foreign ones. But when I think about the alternative, dying without at least trying to live, it saddens me. That’s why I am doing this. I am not ready to throw in the towel. I truly believe in my soul that I am destined to do something here on this earth that I don’t know yet. But I wanna be here to find out.
When Velvet offered to hold a fundraising event for me, I knew I had to think of a great name. Something that I can stand behind. “CELEBRATE LIFE” was actually the first and only thing that came to my mind. I knew that I would get a lot of support and I wanted a theme that reflected a positive attitude and bright outlook for the future. I hope all who join Perry and I truly get that spirit there tomorrow night as we dance the night away. It’s going to be so overwhelming for me to see all the support from the community, from strangers and from friends and family, all dressed in black and white! The support is just so touching to me and gives me such motivation on this journey.
How do you say thank-you to people who donate their time and a little bit of their money to help save your life?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. there are no words I can find that even come close to what I want to say. It’s like I wish there were stronger words than thank-you I could use to express to you all for joining me and showing fellow feeling and love to me. But I do want to take this time to make you all a promise. And now you will have it in writing. I promise that when I come out of the surgery, I will make you all proud. I vow to use my life for the good and to do something in this world to make a difference. I vow to continue to live each day as if it were my last and to be a good person to my fellow humans. I promise to continue to be me.
I cannot tell you all how much I am looking forward to this event. It is going to be so much fun and a night I will take with me in my heart forever. Because at the end of the day, that’s all I’ve ever really wanted in my life, to be surrounded by friends who love each other and have a good time. Until then….
Peace and Love,
Jamie Leigh Francis
xo
It’s been in the darkest hours of my life that I have needed to celebrate life. But it’s only recently that I have gotten the courage to do so. What could be more darker to face than death, and that’s what I am about to do as I go through the process of receiving a double lung transplant. Yet, why am I so happy?
We all have different shit going on in our lives. Some of us are ending relationships. Some of us lose loved ones. Some of us are battling cancer. Some have financial difficulties. Whatever the case, we all have something to deal with and neither of us are immune to any of the blows that life throw at us from time to time. I had a conversation recently with a man who had stage 4 lymphoma. He had the kindest smile. When I asked him how some he was so happy and how he was able to be so strong, you know what he said to me? “Because every day I celebrate life!” He told me that we as human beings have the tendency to get so caught up in the day-to-day things in life that we forget to take the time to stop and smell how good that coffee is we are drinking. Or admire the beautiful surroundings nature has to offer, rather than just drive on by. What an attitude!!
I pray that this attitude is one that I can nurture as I move forward. I do consider myself someone who takes the time to enjoy the simple things in life. There is no cost associated with admiring a sunset or smelling flowers at the local park. These simple things in life are what brings the greatest joy. I too have been asked in very recent days how I am able to be so strong and hold it all together despite having so much going on in my life. And the reason is because I just want to celebrate the time I have left and not worry about tomorrow.
I have a tattoo, the first one I ever got with my great friend Shara. It is inside of my right upper arm and it says, “No day but today”. I adapted this way of life from the movie Rent. Have a ‘no day but today’ approach on life has brought me great joy in the past year. What that means to me is, not worrying about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have its own anxieties, its best to focus in the NOW for that is all we have control over. And added to that, tomorrow is not guaranteed to any of us. So why should we waist any of our time worrying about things that may never happen?
Truth is, I’m scared to death to get my lung transplant. I think anyone who tells you otherwise going through this process is liar! lol It’s scary stuff! It’s not every day you are faced with having to get your rib cage cut in two, and then have your lungs hauled out of you in exchange for foreign ones. But when I think about the alternative, dying without at least trying to live, it saddens me. That’s why I am doing this. I am not ready to throw in the towel. I truly believe in my soul that I am destined to do something here on this earth that I don’t know yet. But I wanna be here to find out.
When Velvet offered to hold a fundraising event for me, I knew I had to think of a great name. Something that I can stand behind. “CELEBRATE LIFE” was actually the first and only thing that came to my mind. I knew that I would get a lot of support and I wanted a theme that reflected a positive attitude and bright outlook for the future. I hope all who join Perry and I truly get that spirit there tomorrow night as we dance the night away. It’s going to be so overwhelming for me to see all the support from the community, from strangers and from friends and family, all dressed in black and white! The support is just so touching to me and gives me such motivation on this journey.
How do you say thank-you to people who donate their time and a little bit of their money to help save your life?………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. there are no words I can find that even come close to what I want to say. It’s like I wish there were stronger words than thank-you I could use to express to you all for joining me and showing fellow feeling and love to me. But I do want to take this time to make you all a promise. And now you will have it in writing. I promise that when I come out of the surgery, I will make you all proud. I vow to use my life for the good and to do something in this world to make a difference. I vow to continue to live each day as if it were my last and to be a good person to my fellow humans. I promise to continue to be me.
I cannot tell you all how much I am looking forward to this event. It is going to be so much fun and a night I will take with me in my heart forever. Because at the end of the day, that’s all I’ve ever really wanted in my life, to be surrounded by friends who love each other and have a good time. Until then….
Peace and Love,
Jamie Leigh Francis
xo
