I had the great joy of meeting Tammy, our Daily Warrior, face to face today. Many of you know Tammy via her blog and I am fortunate to live only about 90 minutes from her. We met for lunch at Applebee's in Sonora and enjoyed salads, conversations, memories of our children, hopes for our futures and the always present but strongly fought enemy, ALS.
This tiny woman has, I think, a will of iron and a smile and heart as big as the world. She does not possess a scrap of self-pity. Sharing this time with her inspired me to live up to my promise I made to myself yesterday to eat nothing that is white. No, I didn't mention this to you today, Tammy, but the contrast of we two in the picture makes me sadder for me than I could ever feel for you. Like you said over lunch, "I have a great love, children, a beautiful home, a grandchild. What else could I what"? What else, indeed.
9 comments:
I'm speechless over such kind words and I'm honored you would drive 90min. to meet up. I'm so excited to call you my friend. I loved watching you with your mom. You were terrific! Nothing white? Just come jump in my pool at the gym, I'll chase you around the pool. LOL
Doesn't she just embody the whole spirit of Grateful Friday (and not just on Friday but everyday!)
Looks like you had a marvelous visit - what a treat for the both of you!
I wish I could have been at this fun lunch!
Sonora??? I lived there for awhile. They did not have an applebees when we lived there. Looks like a great time. Is that train still sitting there on that train track? (You are a great friend!)
Oh Annie, your lovely post made me cry - so touching. I already know you both are wonderful, strong inspiring women and I'm so glad you met face-to-face. Bless you, dear heart.
Thank you for a link to yet another wonderful person's blog! Is it just me, or does this feel like a community??!
Annie, if you're fat, then I'm Shamu's evil twin. LOL. Sweetheart, being a larger person doesn't make you ugly or terrible to behold. Yes, your friend is petite and as cute as an elf. Yes, we are like overly tall Hobbits in comparison. Yes, it would be nice if we could be teeny little women wearing teeny little dresses and snacking on teeny little salads as we wave our forks in glee searching for the perfect teeny little olive to pop into our teeny little mouths... but sometimes our bodies just don't want to follow the teeny mental picture we paste in our minds!
So, although you have embarked on a no-white food diet (which I assume includes no white chocolate... something I would be terrified of doing, personally!) please remember:
1. We don't get cold as easily.
2. We will never have to complain that our bony butts are sore from sitting on a hard surface.
3. Speaking of bony - kids do not hesitate to hug us because they love squishy, soft comfort.
4. We don't have to run around in the shower just to get wet!
5. Our husbands are not married to super models, and if they wanted to be, they would not be married to us!
6. Beauty is only skin deep, and a thin heart is not as nice as one that is filled with compassion.
7. They don't make as much stuff in larger sizes as they do in size 0-6, which means we don't leave a store with tons of junk we will never wear.
8. We stay put in strong winds.
9. "Thin" does not equal "perky" anymore than "fat" would equal "dull".
10. If I never saw a picture of you, it would not change the fact that I respect you as a writer and as a person who possesses strong wit, an eye for photography, and a desire to seek out excellent coffee. Should I then be shown a picture of you, I would say "Wow... she is just as intelligent looking as I imagined her to be!"
Cheers, and good luck on the diet. Send me all your white chocolate!
Two of the sweetest people in one photo! How happy I am for both of you. I hope we three can meet for lunch one day soon!!
Oh Annie... as my darling son (now 23) said to me when he was 4 years old, "you aren't fat, Mommy - you just have some extra skin". Out of the mouths of babes. He made me feel better about myself than anyone else possibly could. I sooo identify with this issue!
i love the fact that the internet brings people together like this! I was lucky enough to meet some online friends, 5 years ago, when I travelled to the US. Something, I will never forget. These friendships are precious! xox
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