Politics Aside

I was watching the Obama/Clinton debate the other night and the final question was one that surprised me. (Paraphrasing here) They were asked to define their most challenging personal crisis.

I was actually unsure of the relevence of that question or what they hoped to achieve by asking it. I thought both candidates did a fine job answering the question-Obama talking about his father leaving and how it forced him to learn to bring people together. Hilary joking about the "trials" of her life, but then bringing it back to the challenges of the American people. They both handled the situation with grace. I wondered if the candidates had copies of the questions prior to the debate? Did they know that the final question would be about their most challenging personal crisis?

I can only picture myself in a similar situation (not that I have any interest in running for president, mind you) and being asked the same question. If I wasn't prepared for it, if I didn't know beforehand, I think I would be thrown by the question. I may even get tears as I choked out "It was during the aftermath from when Hannah, Ryan and Abby were born. And died"

Always, in prepping for interviews, debates, etc. you are taught to take your "negative" and spin it into a positive. I was thinking about how one spins a "positive" on having your children die.

But when I am honest with myself, the truth is, positive things have come to my life because Hannah, Ryan and Abby died. Both of my living children were concieved only because Hannah, Ryan and Abby died. I never would have gone through IVF again had my triplets lived. So, isn't having Joey and Laura the greatest positive that could come from such devastation?

This year will be the 5 year annivesary of Hannah, Ryan and Abby's births and deaths. I can't believe it's already been five years~I have already been thinking about how I can honor them and this monumental annivesary. I was thinking of doing a big road race, perhaps a 1/2 marathon or a marathon with a large fundraiser for the March of Dimes. Or, doing a Teddy Bear Drive for the local hospital. But these things don't feel right for me. It's not even March (their birthdays are in October) and already I have been putting a lot of pressure on myself to do something big to honor them.

Perhaps the best way to honor them is quietly, privately. Perhaps it is to simply love them and look for all the good that their short lives have brought into my life.