Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.

This year is the beginning of a brand new adventure for me-University. Although quite overwhelming and proving to be quite stressful, it’s something I am really enjoying and am having an absolute blast. I’ve been in university for about three weeks and every week, I continue to hear this quote that, until now, I really hadn’t had any knowledge of. 

And, when I first heard one of my lecturers announce this, the words rang too true, for someone especially, living with a chronic illness. Even with those without a chronic illness, without being negative, we truly never know what is going to happen, that can change our life in a tragic way, or, if we’re truly lucky, it can be the most beautiful change we go through.

It’s just the thought that, while you are busy making your own plans, ‘life’ can come through and it could change your life for the absolute best. You could be walking down the street when you find a lotto ticket and it happens to be the winning numbers. Okay, that is totally cliché, but I’m sure you can see where I’m going here. You could be on the transplant list and you’re making plans for the next few months that you’re going to be cooped up in hospital, planning visitors and treatments. 3am comes around and the nurses are getting you ready for the surgery, because a donor organ has been donated. Your mummy cries and your daddy pats you on the hand as you get pushed into theatre.

Sometimes, life has these plans and I know, that sometimes, we don’t always agree with them, but we can’t stop them. We can’t change them. But I think it’s important to look at the beautiful things life does throw our way. The spontaneity of it all. The thought that tomorrow, our lives could change and maybe, a publisher could find our writing on the Internet and want to work with us. That maybe, while we’re singing to our favourite song, unbeknownst to us, a music producer is looking for a new sound and you could be that.

I was only ever, ‘just a Heart kid’ and one day, I saw a newsletter advertising the teen camp and then, I wasn’t ‘just a heart kid’ anymore, because I was no longer alone, I had people. I’ve never really gone anywhere with my illness in ways of spreading awareness and now, I’m writing for a website (this one!) to which I’m an ambassador for.

I think what John Lennon is saying is that, sometimes, we have our whole lives planned ahead of us, but we need to make room for the unexpected, because life is spontaneous and instead of disregarding that or being scared of it, we need to embrace it.

 So, just remember, that even John Lennon knows that sometimes, life gets in the way. When you’re living with a chronic illness, that comes with some extra hurdles. Hospitals when you least expect it. Doctors telling you news that maybe, sometimes you don’t want to hear. No matter what, I think it’s important to embrace whatever comes your way, because things never go exactly as planned.

Jaden

Jaden is 17 and lives with several Congenital Heart Defects. You can reach her at jaden@diseaseonmysleeve.org.