I’ve still got more to say about my time with George, his wonderful family, and all of the folks that came in from out of town for his celebration.
George’s family worked together like a well rehearsed orchestra to help him put together a party to celebrate 20 years of living with diabetes. Living with diabetes is hard, and we need to recognize all of that hard work. Celebrate your day, as George did, and be proud of all you’ve done.
In addition to bringing together more than 100 people for this party, George put together a really moving presentation. He struck the perfect balance between serious and silly, talked about all of the support he found in the online community, and talked about how the abundant love and support that he found changed his life with diabetes.
Near the end of his presentation, George asked everyone in the room living with diabetes to stand up, say their name, and then how long they have lived with diabetes. He said “I want everyone to see that we can make it. We can work together and we can make it.”
Twenty years, thirty years, two years, eight years, ten years, one year, seven years, three years, seventeen years, thirteen years, twenty-six years, twenty-four years, thirty-two years, seven years, three years,
one year.
Two years ago, for World Diabetes Day, George wrote an incredible song about living with diabetes. He wasn’t going to sing the song at the celebration. George is humble, and he worried that it would be too self-centered. His friend Tom convinced him to sing it, saying it was no longer his song, that he wrote it for everyone – it’s their song now. I’m so glad he decided to sing it.
Not a dry eye in the whole damn room. Thank goodness I was hiding behind my camera.
The whole thing felt so right. The presentation. The song. The gathering. It was all perfect.
