“Patiently Dying “ Chapter 171

It’s been ten years since Laura and I bought our house. Not long after we moved in, I walked our yard and counted 52 Azalea plants. 52! Since it was July we had missed them blooming for that year, so we patiently waited for the next Spring. We wondered, though, why 52? Who does that? There was plenty of room, but surely there were other plants the previous owners could have selected. As the seasons changed and the plants throughout the yard faded away, we watched our giant sycamore tree drop all its leaves 

When Spring finally arrived, we were still anxiously waiting for the Azaleas to bloom, and still wondering why there were 52. Eventually, when the blooms finally began, it was an incredible display of colors: white, pink, shades of red, variegated, and - my favorite - one variety that looked like a candy cane. Our patience paid off and the 52 plants gave quite the show!

Over the years we removed some of the plants and some died, but at last count, we still had over 40 Azaleas. When I was sitting in my backyard this year, gazing upon the Azaleas, I realized it had been two years since I had last been in my backyard. Before I was confined to my wheelchair I spent time in my backyard everyday and twice on Sunday, s it was hard to believe that much time had passed. Surely that couldn't be correct, but when I stopped to think about it, we'd only been spending time in the front yard.

I realized that if I didn’t make the effort to do things - even things as simple as sitting in the backyard - both time and the Azalea blooms will continue to pass me by. I have no intention to just sit patiently and wait to die. I might have ALS, but it doesn’t have me.

Love and Blessings

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