type1grace

Losing hope; finding hope; keeping hope Since the start of Lent, I often thought about the pain and suffering Jesus Christ went through in order for us to be saved. Easter is my favourite holiday, since we celebrate our death and our birth: our eternal life. 14.04.2017, Easter weekend Lady Grey, South Africa As a chronically ill millennial, who believes in Jesus Christ, pressure and demands from the world and within, is on the rise. Losing hope and faith became inevitable to me during dark times. But I kept on walking on the route I knew, and discovered that I was indeed never truly alone. “Why doesn't your God heal you? I thought he could do anything ? How can your "father" punish you like that, and then you still believe in him..?" I hear this so often. After my diagnosis of type 1 diabetes among others back in 2010, I kept on asking God why me ? I’m not an angel, but I’m surely not the worst person alive. I don’t deserve to be this ...

Everyone wants to be normal. But what is normal? Normal people are healthy, happy and has hope. Type 1 diabetics? Not normal at all. As soon as people notice that you are different, bullying and teasing becomes a big reality. I spent 8 nights in hospital after my diagnosis. I only went back to school after a month. I was physically and emotionally tired. I was really happy to be back in my old environment. To see all my friends, to be part of something again and to show my injections off (so typical of a child). My mathematics teacher was the only rude one to me after I returned to school. I remembered how I greeted her and told her that I am back. I went to my chair, and in front of the whole class, she said that she waited for my death certificate. Everyone had a slight laugh and then looked at me. Even now, I feel like shedding a tear about that day. I felt so useless and idiotic. When looking back on those few months, those few words from my mat...