In How Nicholas Became Santa Claus, Nicholas the infant had to deal with the trials of life. To make choices, to give in or fight without being broken in spirit. To be successful eventhough the people upon whom you have depended all through life thus far are no longer present. Finding a way to triumph over seemingly overwhelming odds with a smile on your face and a laugh in your belly is truly a gift. Everyone is given this gift on a daily basis. Recognizing our triumphs as gifts, is part of the magic of being Human. Have you found the gift you were given today?

I never imagined this when we were playing house as kids, did you?

As children, we are shown, but don’t often pay attention that the realities of life are determined by society, or that we must justify our choices and decisions. As children, our actions and the consequences that result are rarely considered before we pursue our course. This lesson is learned on the go, by making mistakes.

We are taught to base our decisions on our experiences and those of our grand parents, parents, siblings, those around lest we repeat history. No one would imagine that you could fall in love with someone that no one will accept, or would call a mistake. Or, that the people on whom you depend would throw you into the world with only that which you carry. But that was the plan life had for me.

I had a choice give in, or stand and prove everyone wrong by being successful as a couple and as parents. My Uncle Jack, a priest told me “There are no mistakes if you listen to the lesson that it offers. GOD, gives us every tool needed to be successful, we just require the faith to believe it to be so. You must decide to listen to the inner voice given to guide you, then when a solution is found, it must be shared.” We chose to stand and be successful.

Our first-born girl, was beautiful but had trouble breathing and passed away at four months of age. We were terrified and expecting another child, “total bed rest” until he’s born. Our children came faster than expected and long before term. All were so tiny, Darrell and I were afraid to touch or hold them.

As children, we never pretend that children can be born imperfect, so fragile it seemed if breathed on them they’d shatter or can break if you touched. As children, everyone imagines that their life, when all grown up will be like a fairy tale, no one imagines that many lives begin on hazardous ground. What can be done now? There were so many questions and doubts, so many emotions to sort through. Was it my fault that the baby was born too early? We looked at our little creations; there were tubes and wires coming from everywhere. There seemed to be more tubes and wires than baby. Thousands of questions, yet we found few answers. We were told with each birth to prepare for a death. No, that was unacceptable. We, fought for, and with them, they live.

I never imagined this when we were playing house as kids, did you? No, but I wouldn’t change a thing because it made us all strong.