You are Loved, and You Matter. This simple message was given to me on a Card by someone I didn’t know who cared about me on that day and thought about me before giving me that card.
At the time, I was unsure how to respond or what to do with the card.
You are Loved, and You Matter
Instead, I just tucked it away in my folder and wondered what the person who gave it to me had hoped I would do, say or how I would respond.
After much reflection, I realised that I had failed to appreciate that I was surrounded by numerous people who loved and cared for me and that my life mattered.
They showed me their love and care daily, and I now know I took that love and care for granted.
This simple card given to me by a stranger caused me to reflect on my life and how I had allowed my declining health to become a significant issue for the people in my life who I loved and cared about and how that neglect created relationship difficulties with my wife and daughters.
Long after I had taken the required action to reclaim my health, I had an opportunity to witness and hear the impact my abuse had on the one person in my life. I would do anything for my wife, Jacqui.
After dropping 36 kilograms in weight and reversing several medical conditions, I asked Jacqui one day if she would record her feelings about my health struggles and my road to recovery.
Jacqui told me in no uncertain terms that she had lived in fear for the past 30 years that I would die and leave her a widow. She also used two words that ring in my ears daily: “Fear and Anger”.
Fear that she would be left a widow with the sole responsibility of raising our children and anger that I did not care enough about her and our three daughters to fight for my health.
Well, I am fighting now!
My battle is not over, and it has not been won. I realise every day that, at my age, the amount of time left to correct all the damage I have done is shorter every day.
You are Loved, and you Matter.
That is why I gave you that card.
You don’t know me, but you should understand the card I gave you has the potential to change your life and allow you to realise who it is that loves you and how much they love you and that every day they search for ways to let you know.
Open your eyes and heart and see what you have all too readily accepted and perhaps taken for granted.
