This past year has been very challenging for my family. Thirteen months ago the bottom fell out of our world when my husband was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. It has been a whirlwind of Dr appointments, chemo, check-ups and above all adjusting to living with our new reality.
There were many months when the world just seemed completely bleak, the future seemed terrifying and it was a huge effort to just get up in the mornings. The first thing I thought of when I opened my eyes in the morning, or the middle of the night (because sleep is hard when anxiety is high), was about the diagnosis and the fear and sadness it cast upon our family. Sometimes I wonder how we did it – how we survived a year of getting up, getting dressed, getting kids to school…. just putting one foot in front of the other, day after day. Strangely, it gets easier, although stopping and thinking too much is not good. It helps having 2 little kids that continue to delight and irritate and take the focus away from cancer.
It is a brutally scary event when cancer comes so close to home. There are things you want to read voraciously about (like healthy eating; diet, nutrition and exercise, about chemicals and their toxicity and how to remove them from a home environment) and there are things you absolutely do NOT want to read – like WebMD ar anything to do with the cancer. Knowing too much is scarier than not knowing much; besides – everyone is different, so reading about the prognosis is something I have chosen not to do.
My life got a little brighter in February when a friend of mine got in touch and invited me to a class (felt more like a party!) to learn about essential oils. I was thrilled – I LOVE essential oils and had first started using them almost 20 years ago. She was such an amazing teacher and I learnt so, so much! She’s one of the most generous people I have ever met – she sent me home with a Young Living Premium Starter Kit, a grateful heart and a tonne of hope!
That invitation changed so much for me. I felt like I had a purpose – I began to read about the oils and how they can help support both emotional and physical health. I read about the company she was representing and I found out about all the toxin-free products that they produced; from oils and blends, to cleaning products, personal care products, supplements, make-up and even products for pets.
I met up with Martha for a follow up class that was supposed to be about how to use my new oils, but I ended up being the only guest. I took the opportunity to ask about the business side of Young Living. This is what has given me purpose and hope over the past several months. I have even been to Salt Lake City, Utah to learn about the company, the oils, the farming and the distillation processes. I’m so excited and thrilled to have decided to share Young Living products with my family, my friends, my neighbours and my peers. And, I’m so hopeful that I can share this amazing lifestyle change with friends, and friends of friends and even beyond. I have benefited so much from the oils that all I want to do is share!!
First published May 24, 2018
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