I’m thirteen years out. I don’t take anything for granted. I’ve lost a good friend – Kyle Bailey – and I’m about to lose another one.
Today marks my 13th year as a transplant recipient. Grateful. Thankful. That my donor and his family were courageous enough to give me the gift of life. It’s been the best gift my family could receive.
Today, I worked on my cattle ranch with my two sons Josh and Jarod, working on a fencing project dividing the cattle field into four paddocks. It was a beautiful, sunny day, the autumn air crisp. We took a break to go check the trail cameras for deer visitors, and found that two new bucks are now coming onto the land. As I sat on my John Deere, watching my two boys set wooden posts that would eventually form the new paddocks, I flashed on all the shared projects we’ve worked on together during the past 13 years bringing my other farm and homes in Michigan to their potential.
My son Josh pointed out this evening that 13 years ago, both Jarod and Josh were pretty dependent on me. Now, they are both independent men. But there is nowhere they’d rather be than here with me. This is why I chose life. I am grateful beyond what I’m able to express in words. Every day, every moment, is a gift. Cherish them all, make the most of every day, and never miss an opportunity to tell your loved ones what they mean to you.
