Today we are back in the hospital. It has been a long time (thankfully), but we are back for treatment and scans (ahhh!). 

And I’m back in my seat in the room of waiting. 

And I’m craving candy as the legendary game plays in my head.

Candyland is the most genius game of all time. A game we can all learn from and should play even as adults to remind us all of an undeniable truth, YOU NEVER KNOW. Something us planners need to heed.

Jacob summed it up so perfectly. During our last game, Jacob was squares away from victory and drew the dreaded plum card that sent him back to the beginning. “You think you are winning and then BANG back to the beginning” Jacob shouted (always shouting…no change in hearing here!). But, all said in hysterical laughter as he moved his piece to the start. 

To which I replied “and sometimes you think you are losing and then BANG you won” as I drew a double yellow and skipped to victory.

“Candyland is crazy!” Jacob said.

And I got silent. Is it really? Is it crazy? Or is it real? 

Isn’t life just as unpredictable?

Jacob set up the rematch and lined up our pieces to play again, however this time, I played a bit differently. 

First card, blue!  That lucky draw led me to the rainbow path. Just skipped ahead, score! And it felt just like my first day of work after college when the head teacher didn’t show up- immediate promotion! That was lucky and set up my career nicely. Luck definitely plays a role in your life. I’ve been lucky.

Jacob has the next exciting draw, lollipop he jumps his piece with glee. Oh joy! But only for a minute. He next card puts him back. I watch him fall behind. I see his win leave. I see my son fall. Without thinking, I state- “that is like when you got cancer.” I thought I was talking in my head, but nope, out loud it was said. 

Jacob had no issue with this statement. He agreed and then started laughing. Laughing!

“And soon I’ll draw another card and not have cancer. You never know.”

How wise you are Jacob. 

You never know, even when things look bad, you never know. BUT then I shared we do know somethings. We know how we react.  We know how we respond. We could either cry and stomp and say “It’s not fair” or laugh and enjoy the ride.

Today I’m enjoying the ride. 

I’m living in Candy Land. Literally and figuratively. I am sitting in the room of waiting and watching the ride and accepting it. And it turns out eating candy as you do it makes it all a bit sweeter.