choices

Curveballs, obstacles, bumps - all possible antonyms for 'problems'. I'm often asked how I cope with the curveballs, obstacles et al. and while I've often said that I don't have a choice, I've come to realise that I do.

People often call me 'amazing', but I really don’t see myself doing anything extraordinary, because it’s a choice I made. I didn’t have to go on the transplant list, but I wanted to live, so I went on the list. I could have said ‘no’ to putting myself on the list, but chose to live.

And it was the same with last November. I could have said, ‘I’ve had enough – time for me to go now’, but again I made a choice. I knew it was going to be horrendous surgery, but how fortunate am I that I was able to choose? It’s people like my friend Anita who don’t have a choice, and that’s what I said to her folks a few weeks ago. There was nothing she could do about the crash. It happened, plain and simple, but she has managed to wrench herself out of both a personal and public hell and has something tangible – a legacy to both herself and Jet, as well as a voice for her little boy who will remain forever young.

Sometimes you just can't choose your destiny.