I'm Happy You're Alive

He said “I can’t walk so fast, I lost a few toes.”

I said, “For real? Or, you mean you lost all feeling in them?”

“No, they’re gone”.

I met him a few minutes earlier on the beach.

Both standing there in the cold, Canons in hand, waiting for the sun to rise on Sandy Hook this morning.

He told me he went in for minor surgery in September due to a bowel obstruction…

…and woke up one month later from a coma.

After hearing his story, I felt grateful to have all my toes, and grateful he was alive.

He was tired, as he’s still recovering, so he went home.

I went on to the spot where the seals hang out.

While watching them, I wished he had gotten to see them too.

The sunrise wasn’t spectacular this morning due to cloud coverage. And I wished he could have gotten to see the seals.

This seal is for him.

No matter how you feel today, I’m happy you’re alive.

And that goes for you too, no matter how you feel today, I’m happy you’re alive.