Change of mindset.

Although a stroke is a terrible thing to experience, I have found there is actually a positive aspect arising from such a negative occurrence. First, I seem to have lost the fear of dying. Strange but true. Before my stroke I often felt terror at the thought of no longer 'being' but this has now faded away. Another positive has been the desire to give in to emotions and feelings. An example of this occurred today (Sunday, 17 December, 2017). The hubby and I had taken my mother out for lunch to celebrate her 88th birthday. After lunch we went and bought some ice creams and sat enjoying them while we looked over the lake to the ocean. After finishing our ice creams, the hubby and I went to look at schools of fish swimming in the lake and out to sea. A little while later I went back to sit with my mother. After I left, a young man approached the hubby and asked him if he would hold a video camera while the young man proposed to his girlfriend. Of course the hubby said yes; as did the girlfriend - to the proposal! When the hubby told me what had happened I got up and went over to the happy couple. I said to the young man, "I hear congratulations are in order!" He replied, "Yes." We shook hands and then he said, "Oh, why not hug a stranger! It's a glorious day!" After hugging him I went over to his now fiancée and congratulated her and gave her a hug as well. Her hands were shaking and her eyes were filled with tears. She showed me the beautiful ring she had just been given! It was a wonderful end to a fantastic day. Before my stroke I would never have been so bold as to have done that. As trite as it may sound I now truly understand the saying, Carpe Diem!