Today I read a post that a friend shared about her young son. He has been struggling for months and recently was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I knew from first hand experience what that is like. I reflected on my own past as I pondered how to respond to her. These are the thoughts that came up. I basically grew up as a child with an autoimmune disease – juvenile rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed at 4 years old. It was a struggle to function and fit in at all. Everything was hard to do and painful, so much so that some things were impossible. I couldn’t button a button, open a car door, do a zipper, brush my own hair. Kids made fun of me and it was impossible to play sports. I did, however, try to do whatever my family encouraged me to do. I was able to ride a bike and always enjoyed walking and hiking. After my mom brought me to a Holy place – Lourdes – the disease slowly went into remission as a teenager, though all the joints in my body are still crooked. Fast forward almost 60 years. I do my best to keep my body moving. I have learned the value of proper nutrition. I have learned that things and people aren’t always as they seem. My mom did her best to care for me, with the little information and treatment they had at that time and had to watch my struggle every day. Years later I did my best to take care of my mom with the little knowledge and treatment that existed for Parkinson’s Disease. I watched her struggle every day until she was freed from her suffering. Mostly, I know that God loves us in and through every circumstance. This is not a perfect world, but, there is Life on the other side. As I reflected, I became ever more grateful for the things I have learned and experienced because of the illness. I am grateful for the faith my mother passed to me and thankful for God’s love and generosity to give me the life I have.

I Found God today reflecting on the impact of a disease on my life.