A Liberality of Ls

So much of what matters in my life begins with the letter L. . .

Love:  I am fortunate to be supported by and immersed in the love of an amazing man, three darling doggies and our extraordinary friends.

Laughter:  I tend to be a “glass half full” sort of person.  Few things in life feel better than a good laugh, and I’m a bit of a hedonist.  That means I can be counted on to find the humor in just about any situation.

Learning:  I am both a University of Chicago grad and an elementary teacher.  “Life-long learning” isn’t merely institutional jargon to me — it is a way of life.  Fortunately, I married a man for whom this is equally true.

Language:  I l-o-v-e language.  I enjoy dabbling with words, from several different languages, to paint pictures, express emotions and attempt to convey ideas.

Liberalism:  I am fascinated by government, politics and societal theories and practices.  It seems to me that if you look at what works and what doesn’t, throughout the world and throughout history, you have to conclude that liberalism creates the conditions for the greatest good.    And when it comes right down to it, as Jon Stewart would say, “I’m a blue-stater baby!”

Lyricism:  Music, dance, poetry — they’re as essential to the soul as food, water and sleep are to the body.  I have, at various times in my life, immersed myself in singing soprano, playing the flute and dancing classical ballet.  I never did any of them extraordinarily well, but while I may not have enriched anyone else’s life with my endeavors, I certainly enriched my own.

Law:  I studied philosophy in university, with a particular focus on Kantian ethics.  After graduation, I worked for several years as a paralegal/law clerk.  I thoroughly enjoyed legal research and writing, and I considered a career in medical ethics law.  I was quite interested in the JD/MD program at Duke, but then I met the love of my life, who lived in an isolated city in another country. . .  Nonetheless, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the law.

Lupus:  This disease has shaped my life for the past several years.  It defines how I feel and what I am able to do on any given day.  Like everything else in life, it involves trade-offs.  Because of lupus, I have met amazing people I wouldn’t otherwise have known.  I have been able to spend more time with my darling nephews because they live in the city where three of my medical specialists practice.  I have learned a certain degree of patience and gained a better ability to accept change.  I firmly believe that there are positives in everything.

Lymphoma:  This one is very new.  It was almost certainly caused by the lupus.  I have yet to discover what lymphoma will mean to me.  Stay tuned; I’ll keep you posted!  🙂