Yes I feel confident to say that it was a success, and I did have a great time. Thank you to everyone who came and sent wishes, it was and will always be a special day for me and hopefully all of you who have shared in my experience in some form or fashion, no matter what your level of involvement. As best I can tell we were about 90, which was a great start to what will be an annual event, although next year I have my sights set a little higher as we’ll look to declare Victory. Which has never been in question, as you have all known from the first week of my series.
Now that I have seen many of you for the first time in a while I look forward to seeing you again in the not too distant future. You always know where to find me and if you managed to wait through the line and sign the ‘book’ I now know where to find you as well.
Thanks again, for helping make the First Transplant Anniversary a success. While I did say a few brief words last night I would like to leave you all with a brief thought that has come up several times in the past couple of weeks. As we all progress through our lives, getting caught up in our circumstances seems more the rule rather than the exception. It is no secret that I have been a big fan of control, and it was an important element of my strategy and my success. While I exercised it well in times of trial, I feel it is just as important to exercise it in all areas of life. How often have you said you don’t have the time? The fact is that you do have the time, but you “choose” not to have the time, and choosing is the core of control. If you were to ask me the afternoon of November 6th, 1998, if I had a year and a half to take off what do you think my answer would have been? Much same as yours would be today. But the fact is when we are forced into a situation where our choices are strongly influenced our priorities change, as mine did and have. And I think we would all agree that my change in priorities was for the best, this change involved placing my personal life on par with my professional life. Personal life, specifically my health, became a priority and will always be. As I have said from the very beginning, you all have had the opportunity to learn from my experiences, “without having to have Cancer”, and while you can never fully grasp my experience, and I hope you never can, you can CHOOSE learn from it. And if I can teach you one thing it would be Balance, it is key and I believe the most important element of life. True happiness is a challenge without balance, if not unattainable. Your balance will be different than mine and customized to you. Finding your balance is as simple as prioritizing your life and acknowledging, accepting and addressing what’s really important. Please don’t wait until you face a situation similar to mine to prioritize and find what’s really important, the choice is yours and you have the control and power do it. I can tell you it is worthwhile and the first step toward true happiness in all areas of your life.
I have never attempted to change you all with my messages, more I have attempted to provide some influence to change as true change must come from within. If you choose balance, you’ll have it. Take care.
Balance is key, be the key.
Affectionately,
Geoff
#4
