thanks to kitty.

My great friend gave me this perfect birthday gift. In the first place, we call each other kitty for some unknown (and totally entertaining) reason. Secondly, I love hello kitty. And lastly, my friend "kitty" has been one of my most supportive friends in terms of my journey with diabetes. So this thoughtful gift was the perfect storm of all of those things, and more.

Being seen with diabetes has always felt like an interesting balance act for me. How much to share, how much to keep to myself. I don't want to be seen as the sick girl, yet of course, I face challenges others do not. This has posed some awkwardness in my life in the non-diabetic world because I'm not always the most graceful at finding the right balance. And also others who don't have diabetes can be clumsy without meaning to. So, as I've said a thousand times, blogging, the OC, finding a voice here, has all made such a difference in feeling more visible, and in turn helped enormously with that balancing act I face in the "real" world.

So it's because I'm feeling more seen here, that I am so touched by kitty's gift. Having a non-diabetic (albeit a highly considerate and attentive one) give me this gift represents such a new day for me. My diabetes is seen by my friend, understood, made personal, funny and sweet, all in the light of day. A girl's got to have a bag to carry her diabetes junk in, so it might as well be a brown and bright pink, hello kitty one, all things being equal. My sweet friend hit the perfect note with this gift, and in the process, helped me to see that I'm not as invisible as I used to be.

And for that I will always be grateful to kitty, because after all, that was the biggest gift of all.

Comments

[kalliope]

Such sweet, kind and heartfelt words. When one wants to share and the other wants to listen, when one wants to teach and another wants to learn, It is a perfect note. A great friendship. Proving you can teach "ol' kitties" new tricks! It becomes normal, like sporting winking Hello Kitty accessories in all their glamour. Here's to normal, visible, learning and great accessories for us all!!