What a week.

Like everyone, I spent time yesterday reflecting and remembering one of our country’s most horrifying days.  I watched somber memorials, thought about the continuing conflict we face, and reflected with friends and family on where we were, how we heard, what we did, and how we coped 10 years ago.

A few days before, I read an article on Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) that contained some sobering statistics:

– Less than 1 percent of people with RA go into remission, even with treatment.

– Within 5 years, 50-70% of us have some disability.

– Half of us will be unable to work within 10 years.

– The five-year survival rate of patients with more than thirty joints involved is   approximately 50%, similar to severe coronary artery disease or stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

– One researcher concluded that there was an average loss of 18 years of life in patients who developed RA before the age of 50.

Given these reminders of life’s fleeting nature, I have two choices:

I can slide into a serious depression. I mean, it’s hard to think positively about the future when reading those statistics and seeing what’s happening in the world.

OR

I can spend every day living my happiest and most authentic life, contributing meaningfully to the world, fighting to help myself and other RA patients beat the statistics, choosing the right thing (even when it’s not the easy thing), and showing love and acceptance to my friends and family.

Sounds downright Pollyanna, I know.  But I figure that when the harsh realities of 9/11 and serious illness are almost too intense to bear, my best hope is to battle back with a ferociously positive, loving response.  Because no matter the circumstance, no matter its difficulty, I will not give in to fear and sadness, not even for a second.  I have a choice.