Have you danced in the rain...lately?

Not just physically, but metaphorically I wonder, Have you danced in the rain...lately?

I took Singer Hilary Weeks challenge to write about a time I 'danced in the rain.'

Here it is:  May you never be too old to find JOY in the JOURNEY, SMILES through the TEARS, and Laugher past the sorrow.

When I was 19 my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I remember praying to Heavenly Father...please just let me have her for 15 more years. I want her to see me get married and have children. Please don't take her. God is merciful. We made the most of the next decade and a half. It was hard to leave on my mission. I still worried that something would happen. But when the 10 year cancer free bill of health came I breathed easy. I married a great guy and had 3 children in a row when the news came 15 years to the month that mom had breast cancer again and it was ADVANCED! I put on a smile, laughed and cried with her. My siblings, husband, children, family loved her! We went on an amazing trip to Ireland (Her dream!). We made videos of her reading the children some of her favorite books. We had late night talks and sleep overs. I held her hand when she was well. Then even more as she got sicker and sicker. When she died about a year later some people asked if I was mad that God took her so young. She was 63 and I was 35. I said, How could I be mad at God? He gave me everything I asked for. I had time with her. Amazing, wonderful, happy, joyful time. She promised to send me butterflies and she does. Not just real ones, but everywhere, on stationary, on the back of cars, on T-shirts...everywhere! They make me smile and my heart dances, even in the RAIN of her loss. I miss her terribly, don't get me wrong. But she wouldn't want me to be falling apart sad the rest of my life. She would want me to dance. She loved that song, "I hope you dance." I just discovered Hilary last year...I wish my mom could have seen her at Time Out For Women with me (I like to imagine she got a glimpse). Now the way I dance is that I started a project. I call it the Butterfly Project, because of all the butterflies she sends me. I am writing 366 letters of gratitude to people in my life. And I started a blog and facebook event to get others to join me. We have over 300 people writing 12 letters of gratitude in 2012. That was my challenge. Through the rain, I have learned that things can be seen clearer, life is beautiful, time can't be refunded, and sometimes we are just too busy being BUSY. So this time to write letters that will lift others is one of the ways I DANCE in the RAIN! Thanks Hilary, Really YOU are changing my life. I am clicking, I am happy. My clicking even made me well this week! Thank you! I can't wait to hear you again at the TOFW in Long Beach. I was so happy at Weight Watchers to share about my clicking and my Favorite Christian Singer Hilary Weeks that inspired me. Bless you!!! Changing the WORLD...ONE letter at a time!!!