Just read an awesome blog post about parents of kids with special needs. I am stealing this line from the author (Heather McCain – thanks, Heather), because it fits in so many contexts, including diabetes:
Strength is BUILT. Knowledge is ACQUIRED. Endurance is LEARNED.
These three characteristics help anyone through any situation. Diabetes is no different. We build strength by practicing the skills to manage diabetes, making mistakes, getting it right every now and then, finding a support system (whether that’s friends, family, faith, health care professionals, or others with diabetes). We acquire knowledge by asking questions, working with experts, sharing our own expertise and experiences and getting feedback/ideas, reading, learning from mistakes, making changes, trying new things.
And endurance comes from all of this over and over and over – day in and day out. As long as we focus on building and growing and using what we know to manage diabetes so that life comes first and diabetes fits in. And endurance leads to hope.
And all of it builds character. We’ve got some great characters in this diabetes club of ours!