I had an email surprise this week that still has me whispering wow to myself when I think about it. What an honor it is to be given The Health Insurance Online "Inspiration Award" out-of-the-blue on a dismally rainy day! I have absolutely no idea how the team there discovered my blog but they did, and they found my personal story of recovery an inspiration. I feel more than honored to receive the award, especially with my 25th sobriety anniversary coming in October. There is a still spot inside me where I return again and again, the place where my recovery story lives, and that is where I will keep my gratitude for this fine award.

Below is a portion of the email from Brian Rubin.

Subject: Congratulations to Another Inspiration Award Winner!

Dear Lydia,

Congratulations! On behalf of Health Insurance Online -- a leading
provider of health insurance resources and information -- we would like
to present you with our Inspiration Award. You can find the code to
place the award onto your website below . . .

This award was created for people we feel have an inspiring story of
recovery, whether physically or emotionally. After reviewing your
website and reading your inspirational story of recovery, we feel your
story instills a feeling of hope in us all. Therefore, we want to
recognize your story so that others may also feel inspired and hopeful
in their own recovery. As a recipient of this award, you can place our
included badge anywhere on your website. You can also read more about
the award and how it was created on our website:

I am including below the award information from their website because I think it is marvelous, and because I have readers who may want to contact Brian Rubin with their own suggestions regarding the last paragraph:

The Health Insurance Online "Inspiration Award"

The “Inspiration Award” is given to people who demonstrate that recovery is possible. People with stories that inspire and instill hope in all of us. If you are visiting this page because you clicked on an Inspiration Award, you should know that each award represents a story, and each story represents a person who has overcome great obstacles and won the battle.

The story of our award starts with our research team which is responsible for scouring the Web for information that is useful and valuable to our readers. We typically look for health insurance information, resources regarding coverage, and articles touching on healthcare reform. One day, we found an incredible story about a woman who recovered from a very serious illness. The story inspired our team and changed our perspective. Health insurance is a topic people research and acquire for protection in case they are sick or injured. Most people are healthy when they look for it. But this story opened our eyes to the other side of the coin. Those who have experienced sickness, been greatly challenged, and overcome incredible obstacles. Unfortunately, too many of these stories involve challenges with health insurance and coverage – or the lack thereof. We felt somewhat overwhelmed. How could we help? What could we do? Our idea was to recognize people so that others learn that recovery is possible.

If you know someone who has an inspiring story of recovery please send us an email @ rubin@online-health-insurance.com. Tell us where we can read the recovery story online and why you think the person deserves an award. Thanks for your help.

Health Insurance Online

Offers comprehensive information on health insurance and health care as well as quotes for affordable health insurance, as well as a complete set of articles and books to read.

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Thoughts in a Bottle on the Ocean

I have a friend who needs support right now who is far away, in real distance and, I fear, from hope.

You know it is you. Swim into this poem and return to your life refreshed.

-Lydia



This is a moment when we all might pause to pray for, and offer meditations on behalf of, those who need our love and concern right now. I am specifically thinking about my friend, my older brother who had heart surgery in Duluth this week, and the cold young bird that snuggled in our window feeder last night at dusk.



Darkness
by Kirsti A. Dyer


My light and my life
provided me hope for a future,
a reason to live
and the strength to exist.

Suddenly extinguished,
taken away without warning.
I was abandoned,
left in the darkness
trying to survive
searching for any glimmer
on the distant horizon.

I stand precariously
on a piece of solid ground
barely large enough for my feet.
Around me, a vast expanse
of desolation and emptiness
for as far as I can tell.

It waits
with extending arms
to engulf and surround me
in a permanent shadow.

I remain tenuously balanced
on this small bit of solid footing
Providing me the last vestiges of hope,
Unsure where to turn
or how to find an escape.

No path in sight,
it has decayed into the abyss.
No light to guide my footsteps,
it has been withdrawn.

In complete blackness
I close my eyes
waiting to fall.

A light appears before me
no,
from within me.

I discover
a brilliance inside
An internal source of strength, power
and illumination.

This force surges through my body
filling me with courage.
I open my eyes once more in the darkness
finally lose my balance,
and descend
into the eternal night.

But in falling, I discover
that I possess wings.

With new courage, my own light,
and wings to save me
from the everlasting darkness
I take flight
high above the waiting chasm
towards a faint glimmer
far on the horizon
and hope.

-- Kirsti A. Dyer, MD, MS
Journey of Hearts, Domain Designer/Creator