Abigail T.'s Essay

Living with CF has taught me…

That one aspect of me cannot define who I am. I am not purely a CF patient; I am a 21 year old woman who likes baseball, dogs, reading, and the color green. I can be sweet and witty and sarcastic, and sometimes have a big mouth. I have a weird sense of humor, and can laugh at my own mistakes. I am not just a person with special health needs.

It has taught me that loving with every fiber of my being is the only way to truly live. It is the people that I love that make my life count. Holding back because of fear of what might happen is the coward’s way out. Loving and laughing with all that I have is what really living is all about.

It has taught me that I can never give up, no matter how bleak the circumstances. Never give up hope for a future. Never give up living for the day and planning for tomorrow. Having a daily reminder that I face challenges “normal” people do not face reminds me that I am strong; I have faced difficulties and overcome them.

Most of all I have learned that I can’t do it alone. Without God in my life, it would be truly meaningless. He is what keeps me going and what sustains me in the hard times. Having CF has taught me to rely fully on him, and that with him, nothing is impossible.