Photo credit –  Preston Mack – Disney Social Media Moms Conference 2015 (#DisneySMMC) (used by permission)

As they announced Donald Driver as the next speaker during the Disney Social Media Moms Conference I had a vague notion of who he was from Dancing with the Stars. I had rooted for him as a dancer but was never a fan of the Green Bay Packers. Being a Midwest transplant I still root for the Buffalo Bills from Western New York.

But, as he started to speak I sensed his talk was going to be different from I expected. It was not going to be about football and how it shaped his life. But, I wasn’t sure where he would lead us.

He challenged us asking, “Why do we blog?” If we are not blogging to inspire, motivate and change something, we might want to rethink why we blog. Are we sharing love and compassion? Or, are we tearing others down to climb to the top?

“We need to remember it only takes a second to say harsh words but it takes that person a lifetime to get over it.” – Donald Driver

He then went on to tell us the story about being with his father at the end of his life. During this part of his speech the entire room was silent. He held us in the palm of his hand as he talked about his “Dad” and reconciling the relationship with him at the end of Dad’s life as he was dying of cancer.

What no one in the room that day knew was that one week before arriving at the Disney Social Media Moms conference I had surgery about ten days prior to the conference and had just been diagnosed with skin cancer.  I would be having a second surgery as soon as we arrived back home. I was still internally wrestling with the diagnosis. Many probably saw me hobbling around the conference with my cane and dark black pants in the parks on 90 degree days but I still had a bunch of stitches on my shin and had to keep my skin protected, but I wanted no one to know.

As I listened to Mr. Driver that day I began to wonder what am I leaving my family (both chosen and birth) if I leave the world right here right now? Have I made the choices that lift my family, friends and followers? What did I not say because I thought I’d have another chance?

The tears flowed silently as I listened as Mr. Driver spoke of his relationship with his “Dad” at the end of his life. How would I say good-bye to my children? I wasn’t ready and I needed to make changes. No more pity or feeling that life wasn’t fair. I was done. That day forward something new would take shape in my life.

Inspire. Motivate. Change.

I am happy to say that the pathology report after the second surgery shows clean edges and they believe they have now removed all the cancerous cells. But, I still am moving forward.

Inspire. Motivate. Change.

Changes have slowly started to take place in my life since that day.  Changes will even be coming to this blog over the next few months. I want it to represent not just who I am at this moment in time but where I want to be one year from now.  My heart is now healing as well as my body and I want to…

Inspire. Motivate. Change.