November, another wonderful excuse to celebrate all month
I love November for a bunch of reasons. These include election day, it’s National Diabetes Awareness Month, we get to celebrate our veterans, I’m having my 65th birthday, and then it’s Thanksgiving. We could be worn out by December though over the past months the pandemic has changed what, how, and why we do almost everything.
Nevertheless, I’m still planning to have my birthday –the celebration began at 12:01 a.m. November 1. Planning because after a serious illness in 2000, I stopped taking being alive and having birthdays for granted. I think this made me kinder, more joyful, brave, and interesting. Being alive is a blessing and a privilege and I believe we are obligated to do all we can to make ourselves and the world better. Only time will tell if we succeeded but I am committed every day to live triumphantly until I die.
This decision also brings me to my last word on the 2020 election. I make calls to urge registered voters to go to the polls each election cycle. Certainly, I have a preference as to who they vote for but I am more interested in the act itself. I was impressed Saturday at how sophisticated calling has become but the brief calls reminded me to be nice to volunteers who call even though they are disruptive and irritating.
Hardly anybody answered so I succinctly left my best “Remember Tuesday is Election Day” message without being disconnected midway. My only excitement came when a recent divorcee gave me a bleep-bleep message for his ex. She actually called back but I decided she didn’t really need to hear it.
I’ve been waiting for November 4 so the campaigning, lying, and finger pointing could end. While there is still no clear decision, we, the people, have spoken. Now we must heal, unify, hold our elected officials accountable, and move forward.
Finally, November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, so be more aware. This wicked but manageable disease runs rampant in my family and here’s what I know: millions live with it but you have to manage it or it will manage you.
Second, prevention is the best medicine. Look at the numbers: according to www.joslin.org, …”30.3 million people have diabetes (9.4% of the U.S. population), in one type or another; 84.1 million adults aged 18 years or older have prediabetes (33.9% of the adult U.S. population.)The two main types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2. In type 1, the body completely stops making insulin. In type 2, the body produces insulin, but the cells don’t respond to insulin the way they should.”
About a month before my diagnoses I told my sister the two things I was most afraid of were identity theft and diabetes. I had seen my father’s siblings with their disease uncontrolled. My maternal great aunts had amputations, my cousin was blind, and my doctor warned two years earlier that I was on the pre-diabetic road.
The morning after I got my diagnoses I stayed in bed with the covers over my head. I had a long talk with Cynthia and reminded her of all the other people I knew who were living well with diabetes and I decided I’d be one of them.
You can too. Arm yourself with information, eat well, take your medicine as prescribed, and exercise like you mean it. Make this your best November yet!
This 65th year so many of my high school classmates, friends, and associates died without reaching their birthdays so that’s why I celebrate every day just in case.
Make this your best November yet! what are your wonderful excuses to celebrate all month? I am excited to hear your opinion at #drbondhopson on Twitter and Facebook!
Looking for inspiration, empowerment, uplift, straight talk, an encouraging word to brighten your day? You’ve arrived! Meet Dr. Cynthia Ann Bond Hopson, best-selling author, educator, inspirational speaker, sistergirl–she’s all that and more. Now listen to her new podcast, “Three Stores, Two Cotton Gins, One Remarkable Life: The Journey from There To Here,” and meet her favorite family and friends as they share laughter and heartwarming life lessons. Look for it on this page or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
