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Monday, December 29, 2014

The Beginning: A Rallying Cry

Welcome!

It comes as no surprise that I’ve been struggling for months with how to start.  But there is a common sentiment regarding talking about important secrets that goes: it is not so important how you say it, as long as you say it.  So in other words, spit it out.  Don’t let questions over how to approach and frame the story prevent you from telling it. 

Here goes.

There are many reasons why I wanted to start this website.  Some of them entirely self-serving (practicing telling the story of diabetes and discovering my own story), some of them silly (Money! Fame! Blogging makes you super rich, right?), and some of them eagerly if vaguely benevolent (hoping somehow in some way this helps someone). 

But above all else, the core principle is this:  the diabetes narrative deserves some positivity. 

No matter the medium or the speaker, the dominant message about diabetes is ominous.  Diabetes appears to go hand-in-hand with life limitations, serious threats to your health, and miserable routines.  While those things can play a part in experiences with diabetes, that perception doesn’t do justice to the disease or the people who live with it. 

People with diabetes are incredibly strong and their tenacity should be celebrated.  Diabetes is a serious condition, but it is within everyone’s grasp to make changes that will help them improve.  If we really focus on our health instead of what’s holding us back or what could happen, we can live just as happily, if not more, as anyone else. 

There’s something missing in all the pamphlets and pharmaceutical commercials and doctors’ visits and materials about diabetes.  Maybe it’s in there, but the font size just isn’t big enough:

WE CAN DO THIS.

More on that to come.