This Too

Image Description: A sparkly silver ring with detailed design engraved on the sides and edges. The inscription on the inside is visible and reads ‘This Too’.

I bought myself a ring in December 2018, shortly after my lumpectomy. The ring itself was beautiful, but even more than the piece of jewellry, I wanted the words around my finger. I had it engraved with ‘This Too’. I wanted to wear a reminder every day that:

This peace This struggle This delight This boredom This triumph This defeat This disappointment This elation This frustration This disability This illness This ease This discomfort This fear This grace This imperfection This gratitude This laughter This sadness This loss This love This vulnerability

This, too, is part of living a full, beautiful life. That sitting with and accepting this, too, is what it means to live wholeheartedly. And while it is true that in many cases (not all), this too shall pass, that is not the message that brings me the most comfort. What brings me comfort is the reminder that life brings all of this to us, and being present to receive it all is simply the work and privilege of being alive.

Speech-Language Pathologist living in East Vancouver, B.C. and parenting a fantastic daughter who has an intellectual disability. Passionate about augmentative and alternative communication, inclusion, and a growing list of other causes. Enthusiast of yoga, dance, music and mindfulness. Striving for connection, community, compassion and creativity while also trying to protect and preserve my introvert energy.