Well, today is supposed to be the end of the world, but it’s after nine in the morning here in North Carolina and the sun is still shining. I feel a bit like one of the Who’s in Whoville shouting to Horton in Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who.  “We’re here! We’re here!”

Instead of shouting to an elephant, I’m whispering to the universe. “We’re still here. We’re still here!”

It’s not as if I believed the Mayan calendar but so far, today, there have been no horrific storms.

And no zombie apocalypse.

For some,  today was a day to dread. A day to fear. For me, today and this whole month are a reason to celebrate.

Today, I celebrate a milestone in my life. It’s my five year anniversary of beating breast cancer. Today, I am a five year survivor.

November and December have been great months for me. Not counting the unexpected $500 dollar repair cost of my Chevy Equinox that left us stranded at a gas station in Zebulon as we were headed home from a Thanksgiving visit with my husband’s family or the spare car, a 1997 Jeep that left me stranded at work when the battery died, I’m still counting my blessings.

My youngest daughter, Lauren moved out at the beginning of November. She has a fantastic, rewarding job as a radiation therapist, she bought her own car, and she now has her own apartment. I’m so incredibly proud of her. Then to top that, on Thanksgiving Day, my youngest brought a surprise with her to Thanksgiving dinner. She brought her sister!

Jennifer has been living in Germany for the past 6 years with her soldier husband, Mike. Jennifer hasn’t been home for Thanksgiving since 2005. And she hasn’t been home for Christmas since 2008. So, it’s been fun around here having her home. And Lauren has visited more often since her sister’s been here.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of both my girls and I’m so happy for their independence. I had a handicapped sister, Cindy, who never had true independence. So, I know how important it is to a child and a mother to see their children living productive lives. God bless Cindy, she wanted her independence so badly. She died last February. And now, she is truly free.

If the world is going to end tragically today, I’m glad she missed it. But I just don’t have time for the apocalypse now. My son in law arrived in the states on Tuesday to join my daughter for Christmas.So, I’m really looking forward to celebrating the birth of Christ with my entire family.

So glad to have Jennifer and Michael home this year.

The world might be falling into chaos, but I don’t think it’s going to end today. Despite all the evil in the world, there is still goodness here as well.

I can’t imagine what those families in Connecticut must be going through. It must have seemed as if their worlds had ended last Friday, December 14.  I pray for those affected by that tragedy and hope that one day, they might find peace.

The apocalypse may well be near, but I’m still looking for the beauty in this world. I truly believe that if you seek love and happiness, you will find it. And right now, I’m pretty damn happy.

May you all find the peace, love, and happiness you seek. And may you all have a blessed holiday.