Behind this smile? Tears from the night before.

Behind this smile? Tears from the night before.

You know those days when you walk into a doctor’s office for an introductory visit, and walk out with your world shaken?

Yeah, that just happened to me a few days before Christmas.

Armed with my mammogram and ultrasound results (both showed benign nodules), I visited an oncologist.

I only had a simple question: “How often should I get these tests?”

Then those words hit: “It says here that one of the nodules is described as ‘irregular’. That’s not good.”

Fear.

That old, unwelcome friend crept back in.

No. Not again.

Two more ultrasounds later, the results confirmed: benign.

But that evening? I broke down.

Processing how a simple follow-up turned into hours of anxiety and fear.

You know what’s funny?

I told God His purification process is too intense – if this was a test, I definitely scored an F in handling it.

But here’s the thing: That day of fear won’t define my year.

Yes, life can throw unexpected curves.

Yes, I felt fear (still working on that).

Yet I’m still here, still smiling, still grateful.

Because sometimes our biggest scares become our greatest reminders to appreciate every moment.

What happened next touched my heart in ways I didn’t expect.

When I shared my health scare story, friends sent comments and direct messages (DMs).

Every comment, every DM… you didn’t just send words.

You shared your own stories of fear and hope.

You felt what I felt.

Your messages came just when I needed them most…

Perhaps that’s what moved me the most—knowing that you understood.

Because somewhere along your journey, you’ve felt that same fear too.

Yet you chose hope.

You survived.

And you reached out to tell me I would, too.

I want you to know I am alright.

Yes, I needed to cry (because I am not IronMan).

Processing fear isn’t easy, and pretending it didn’t happen wasn’t an option.

But you… you reminded me of something powerful.

You said I’m braver than I think I am.

You pointed me back to God’s bountiful love. And you were right.

So here I am, still standing, still smiling, still grateful.

Not because the fear wasn’t real, but because your support made it bearable.

To everyone who reached out, thank you for being lighthouses in my moment of darkness.