strength

Today I walked the kids to school. It's one of my favorite things to do, honestly. I treasure those 20 minutes we have together before they head into what seems, at times, the lion's den.

There are days when it's just a walk with my kids. Some time spent with them talking about things that are important to them. Other days, it's a time when God speaks to me about what's important to Him. Today was one of those days.

We walked behind a young mom and her two daughters, one of which is a classmate of Kenn's. What caught my attention was the hat the mom was wearing on her, what appeared to be, shaved head. Her left arm was also bandaged from her fingers to her shoulder. I'm not an expert, but I'm thinking maybe she had some chemo or radiation burns. I know cancer isn't unusual, but I don't have an everyday encounter with it.

Or, maybe I do, but I just don't know about it. Maybe there are more people that I see each day that are battling it.

There are two things that kept going through my head as I followed this family to school.

First of all, last year, she had all of her hair. She was living a normal life, or so I thought. She was heading to work and dropping her kids off at school along the way. She didn't seem to be struggling with anything.

But, that's where I'm wrong. How many times do I assume that people are fine? That their lives are going good, when really it's a war zone?

I wonder if her priorities have changed or been rearranged. I bet she treasures her walks with her kids more now than ever.

Second, all I could see in her was strength. Before today, I just saw a young mom with kids. Unfortunately, I sort of looked past her. But now, I see an incredibly strong woman engaged in a battle. I admire her. I am humbled by her. She is fighting for her life right now, but she's still standing. She hasn't lost yet, and if she has anything to do with it, she won't. She will fight.