Diabetes doesn't define who you are....

Today was our church's Memorial Day Service.  This is a service where family and friends honor those who have passed on during the last year and a special guest speaker talks to the congregation about life and death and how we, as Christians, should not take for granted the time we have before we go on to glory.  This year's  guest speaker's subject was "Who are you?"  He believes when most people are asked this question, their first response is their name and then their profession when describing who they are.  His hope was that the congregation would see they should define themselves as how they live their life through acts and service for others.....as a child of God.  A person is more than their name; more than what they do for a living; more than some one's spouse or some one's parent or child. 

This question got me to thinking about my daughter and how many may think her disease defines who she is.  My daughter has type 1 diabetes, but that is not who she is.  Diabetes is just one part of her life.  Although, the disease can be overwhelming and attribute to how she feels, it is important to remember that this does not decide who Alyssa is or who she is going to be..... if anything, diabetes will make her stronger.