Reality check

I've been spending my days trying to unlock the mystery of a three-month-old, battling spit up and diaper duty and the inexplicable changes in personality that come from being too tired/too hot/too hungry or any litany of assorted things. It can be hard to remember in the midst of this tunnel vision that most of us are pretty damn lucky.

The father of a friend of mine, who is more like a sister than a friend, was diagnosed this week with pancreatic cancer. I don't know how bad it is, but pancreatic cancer is not good. They're going to fight like hell to beat it and, if anyone can beat it, they can. He's a wonderful guy, and my friend has such a palpable connection with her dad you can feel it when you spend just a few seconds with them.

Even though we've had a few friends recently who have lost parents - and a few more whose parents were very ill but pulled through - this news hit me like a ton of bricks. I've spent more minutes than I can count this week thinking about her and her family, wishing there was something I could do and praying for God to give them strength to help them through this.

This horrible, wouldn't-wish-it-on-anybody-in-a-million-years news has offered me a bit of a reality check. Instead of bemoaning my desperately-needs-a-refresher wardrobe or that pile of laundry in the corner of my bedroom or those last few pesky pregnancy pounds, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about what we do have. And I've been consciously trying to take advantage of all the good in my life.

Join me in making a mental list of everything you have that's amazing. And, if you've got an extra minute, please send some positive thoughts to a friend going through a rough time.