"Do you know what I remember most about the good days?" he asked.
I knew he was referring to those rare days when Allie recognized him, and I shook my head. "No," I answered.
"Falling in Love," he said. "That's what I remember. On her good days, it was like we were just starting all over again."......
He smiled. "That's what I mean when I say I did it for me. Everytime I read to her, it was like I was courting her, because sometimes, just sometimes, she would fall in love with me all over again.
And that's the most wonderful feeling in the world. How many people are ever given that chance? To have someone you love fall in love with you over and over?"
~The Wedding Nicholas Sparks
I am reading The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks and this is an excerpt from chapter one that caught my attention and even as I continue with reading this book, I seem to find myself often pondering this portion.
Noah Calhoun was speaking to his son in law, Wilson and explaining that through Allies sickness (Alzheimers) he continued to read to her not only for her pleasure but also for his....the above passage explains why he also benefitted from reading to her from "The Notebook".
The reason I go back to these words is not only because I am a hopeless romantic and can only dream of the day 70 years from now when the love of my life adores me enough to anticipate falling in love all over again and again even after so long, but because I also admire the fact that in despite of having to see Allie in this condition Noah was able to grasp the postive, despite the challenges.
How great would it be if we could all be more like this? Regardless, of how negative the situation is; there is in some way, shape, or form...always a way to realize the positive if we will just take the time to step back, breathe, and see the big picture - we can discover it. This is not always easy, as I am sure that Noah would rather have his wife, Allie back to being the healthy lady that he married rather than these moments of falling in love over and over again....however, he realized he couldnt have that back so he adjusted his sails to the direction of the wind and was able to see a light through the dark.
"The most successful people are those who are good at plan B." ~James Yorke
Background
3.02.2010
small minds
"small minds talk about people, average minds talk about events, great minds talk about ideas."
3.01.2010
The last 18 days
This is what I posted on Facebook this Morning:
First I would like to say thanks to all for the kind words left in my inbox - I was overwhelmed when I opened it this morning and saw all of the sweet messages! It means alot to know that so many people care about what I have to say and actually look forward to it! :)
So, I have been writing down the changes that have occured over the past few weeks without FB and at the top of the paper it says "The Last 40 Days" However the title is changing to "The Last 18 Days" --My roommate is moving out and I am on the search for a new one, so what better place to start than Facebook?! :) It was such a defeated feeling logging in but I have to do what I have to do and I will only be using FB for the advertising the need for a roomie...I MIGHT stick a quote in every now and then since that seems to be what you guys are missing the most! ;)
At this point I guess I will share my last 18 Days:
~My dad came to visit and we had a blast staying up and talking about life, love, God and all of the other crazy things that dads and daughters discuss!
~My little brother turned 18!!!!!!!!
~Glory is figuruing out that the beach and sand is WAY cooler than the mountains and snow in Ashville!
~My mom is almost finished painting her house as well as taking names in her classes!!
~I watched 4 movies and anyone who knows me well, knows that I have the attention span of a 5year old so movies and I do not mesh!
~I blogged...actually made two but the other one is still a work in progress but you can still check out ThoughtsUncorked! :) http://thoughtsuncorked-faith.blogspot.com/
~I got a pedi and mani
~I developed a new type of Pizza-its really good! (Guacamole and Salsa as the "Pizza Sauce" then chicken, jalapenos, and cheese---it was DELISH!
~I got a B on my Stat's test and an A on my Psyc Test
~Costa ate raisins, could have almost died, had to get her stomach pumped-Took her back this past Saturday for testing and she is fine. DO NOT LET YOUR DOG HAVE GRAPES OR RAISINS!
~My ex of almost six years got engaged after our 7-9month break up depneding on when you start counting
~I went shopping...ALOT
~I paid my car taxes
~I have been dieting hard core and ppl are noticing so thats a good feeling!
~I read "Tuesdays With Morrie" again (LOVE IT) and started on "For One More Day"
~I realized that life is about changing and figuring out how to make those changes into growth instead of disappointment.
~I learned not to count on anyone - We let ourselves down everyday, why do we actually believe another person won't?!
~I have learned that as lonely as it gets sometimes being "single" I am so so fortunate to be figuring out so early in life that MY happiness is not and should not and will not be dependent on another person--I am Figuring out ME and so far that is going Awesome - its crazy what you learn about yourself when you stop and look~We are all stronger than we realize!
So overall this last 18 days has been pretty awesome - it wasnt as difficult as I thought it would be without Facebook! I told someone yesterday, its kind of the same feeling you get when you leave your cell phone at home --you think you need to turn around and go grab it but its such a good feeling not to have it all at the same time! Now that FB is back in my life I am definitetly am going to make a conscious effort not to become such a part of my life and feel like I have to check status ever 30seconds haha!
This was actually a great experience and gave me more time to figure out other stuff, good stuff, stuff about me rather than seeing who ate what for dinner last night-When you dont have a computer in front of you constantly it gets you thinking! Def a learning and growing experience that I promise to myself I will continue growing from---getting to know me thats what 2010 is about for ME---the rest will surely follow! :)
Faith
First I would like to say thanks to all for the kind words left in my inbox - I was overwhelmed when I opened it this morning and saw all of the sweet messages! It means alot to know that so many people care about what I have to say and actually look forward to it! :)
So, I have been writing down the changes that have occured over the past few weeks without FB and at the top of the paper it says "The Last 40 Days" However the title is changing to "The Last 18 Days" --My roommate is moving out and I am on the search for a new one, so what better place to start than Facebook?! :) It was such a defeated feeling logging in but I have to do what I have to do and I will only be using FB for the advertising the need for a roomie...I MIGHT stick a quote in every now and then since that seems to be what you guys are missing the most! ;)
At this point I guess I will share my last 18 Days:
~My dad came to visit and we had a blast staying up and talking about life, love, God and all of the other crazy things that dads and daughters discuss!
~My little brother turned 18!!!!!!!!
~Glory is figuruing out that the beach and sand is WAY cooler than the mountains and snow in Ashville!
~My mom is almost finished painting her house as well as taking names in her classes!!
~I watched 4 movies and anyone who knows me well, knows that I have the attention span of a 5year old so movies and I do not mesh!
~I blogged...actually made two but the other one is still a work in progress but you can still check out ThoughtsUncorked! :) http://thoughtsuncorked-faith.blogspot.com/
~I got a pedi and mani
~I developed a new type of Pizza-its really good! (Guacamole and Salsa as the "Pizza Sauce" then chicken, jalapenos, and cheese---it was DELISH!
~I got a B on my Stat's test and an A on my Psyc Test
~Costa ate raisins, could have almost died, had to get her stomach pumped-Took her back this past Saturday for testing and she is fine. DO NOT LET YOUR DOG HAVE GRAPES OR RAISINS!
~My ex of almost six years got engaged after our 7-9month break up depneding on when you start counting
~I went shopping...ALOT
~I paid my car taxes
~I have been dieting hard core and ppl are noticing so thats a good feeling!
~I read "Tuesdays With Morrie" again (LOVE IT) and started on "For One More Day"
~I realized that life is about changing and figuring out how to make those changes into growth instead of disappointment.
~I learned not to count on anyone - We let ourselves down everyday, why do we actually believe another person won't?!
~I have learned that as lonely as it gets sometimes being "single" I am so so fortunate to be figuring out so early in life that MY happiness is not and should not and will not be dependent on another person--I am Figuring out ME and so far that is going Awesome - its crazy what you learn about yourself when you stop and look~We are all stronger than we realize!
So overall this last 18 days has been pretty awesome - it wasnt as difficult as I thought it would be without Facebook! I told someone yesterday, its kind of the same feeling you get when you leave your cell phone at home --you think you need to turn around and go grab it but its such a good feeling not to have it all at the same time! Now that FB is back in my life I am definitetly am going to make a conscious effort not to become such a part of my life and feel like I have to check status ever 30seconds haha!
This was actually a great experience and gave me more time to figure out other stuff, good stuff, stuff about me rather than seeing who ate what for dinner last night-When you dont have a computer in front of you constantly it gets you thinking! Def a learning and growing experience that I promise to myself I will continue growing from---getting to know me thats what 2010 is about for ME---the rest will surely follow! :)
Faith
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