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Facing Fears<br />
Ah, <strong>January</strong>. A time so many make resolutions<br />
for change. While I’m a believer that you don’t<br />
need a new year on the calendar to take steps<br />
toward improving or changing things about yourself, it<br />
can be a motivator to know you aren’t alone.<br />
Whatever your reason or time of year, facing down<br />
the things you wish were different isn’t unlike facing<br />
down fear and coming out the other side a better person.<br />
Several years ago, I met a family that had two sons<br />
and a young daughter. The daughter was about five and<br />
was going through treatment for leukemia.<br />
Due to life circumstances at the time, I interacted a<br />
good bit with this family but it wasn’t long before I called<br />
them friends. But friends or not, it is gut-wrenching to<br />
watch a child endure chemotherapy and even more difficult<br />
to watch her parents cope with such a situation. One<br />
cannot help but consider your own children and realize<br />
how blessed you are to dodge such a horrible affliction.<br />
And we rallied around this family and this child as she<br />
fought for her life and as they fought to get her healthy.<br />
After years of treatment, this special girl was declared<br />
cancer-free--a miracle not enjoyed by all who deal with<br />
leukemia. She is now a strong and sassy girl with a heart<br />
of gold and her parents so very grateful for every “normal”<br />
day they get to have. Although their normal still isn’t
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