Guest blogger and co-founder of AmeriBag, Margery Gaffin, explains how the “I Love My Life” Healthy Back Bag came to be. Read on and you could have the opportunity to receive your very own “I Love My Life” Healthy Back Bag.
Almost exactly four years ago I was recovering from my last round of chemotherapy for breast cancer. My strength was finally coming back, as well as my appetite. I recall standing in my kitchen chopping onions. I was prepping for a nutritious soup. This is typically a boring, tedious task, yet I suddenly was struck by the idea, “how wonderful it is that I am JUST chopping onions and no longer thinking about cancer treatments, or any other morbid topic. Just chopping onions!”
That’s when IT started… I started to realize fully how grateful and appreciative I am for my life and my health and how much “I LOVE MY LIFE.” Not that MY life is perfect – no one’s is – but it was a refreshing feeling to have regardless of the diagnosis, treatment and recovery. This led me to explore yoga, which for me has meant being in the moment and appreciating that fully. Not worrying about what already happened or what might happen. Just being.
Four years later, I have continued to be very involved in yoga – mostly Anusara and Kundalini, and the phrase “I LOVE MY LIFE” has fully sunk in and reverberated through me. I am (as one of my first teachers said) “grateful that I CAN practice yoga.” I open my heart everyday to new opportunities and experiences.
The culmination of all this “just being,” breathing and yoga has led me to express this sentiment in a very special bag. It expresses the affirmation of the positiveness of life – the appreciation of life itself. Not just the big things, but also the ordinary day-to-day little things… even chopping onions.
We are proud to present this gorgeous version of our famous Healthy Back Bag to symbolize this positive affirmation in each of you. Our customers. And the community around you.
We ask you to consider and tell us why you love your life? One winner will be selected at random on Thursday, April 22. You can enter this giveaway by sharing your response on Twitter, Facebook or a comment to this blog post. Tell your friends to share their stories with us as well. We are looking for this feeling of gratitude to stretch through our online community as far as it can go.
*Update: Janine M. Torsiello of Lake Hiawatha, NJ was randomly selected to win the “I Love My Life” Healthy Back Bag
I love my life. I have been through chemotherapy and lived to tell about it. I was given a 50-50 chance of beating choriocarcinoma. Today I smile with the sunshine. I donate blood to give back what was given to me. I work and play and laugh and love and thank the heavens for my health, my husband and my two children. I love my life, and life is good.
I love my life! Everyday I look around my little corner of the world and I pinch myself. I can’t believe this is really my life. I keep expecting to wake up for a marvelous dream. I have a home, a family, a job, and I live in a country that gives us so much freedom. While everything isn’t perfect, my health isn’t good and there are bills that get harder and harder to pay with each passing month, but I am still so blessed. I even have the opportunity to give a little back to others from time to time, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me. When I needed help, my friends and family were there for me, so now it is my pleasure help someone else. How much better can life get than that?
How could I not love my life. I’m going to be 56 on April 21st. I do not feel that way; I feel about 21. I am doing things that most people would be afraid to do and feel great that I am healthy enough to be doing them~
My son is a Chiropractor and suggested several times that my big, heavy purse was the cause of my shoulder problems. I found your bag and have been using it for about a year. Hurray…… shoulder pain gone and now a very great HBB is my constant companion. Jackie
How could I not love my life. I’m going to be 56 on April 21st. I do not feel that way; I feel about 21. I am doing things that most people would be afraid to do and feel great that I am healthy enough to be doing them~
I love my life because I am so very lucky. When it comes to luck, I have always been blessed. People tell me all the time how lucky I am and I have to say, I agree. It is not the fact that I always seem to win the pot of pennies in our family card games or the fact that I won a fabulous pink motor scooter for donating to the Walk for Breast Cancer, but I consider myself lucky because I have been given the opportunity to care for the people that I love.
Just recently I had to make a very hard decision. The decision was to leave the job I loved in a town that I have lived in most of my life to be closer to my elderly parents who are unable to care for themselves without assistance. The decision was the right one for me, as I love my parents very much and it brings joy to my life to know that I can be there to help them. As it turned out, and this is where the luck comes in, my employer decided not to make me quit and is allowing me to do my job from my new home, just 1 mile away from my parents. I am sure my Parents feel lucky now too, to have me near by.
Life is Good!
When I first saw your “I love my life” bag, I was on a trip to the giant redwoods in northern California. I gave the trip to my husband for his birthday, which (with much ribbing) is April Fool’s Day. I had just been reminiscing about how happy I’ve been with him, and what a contrast this is with my earlier life when I opened my laptop to see what was in my e-mail. When I saw the photo of your bag, its impact on me was forceful and immediate — that I love my life! I, too, have had health threats darken my life in the past. I think they have served a positive purpose: to make me appreciate life as I couldn’t without them. Many thanks for thinking to spread this amazing idea and remind us of what we have.
I LOVE ALL LIFE,FOR IT IS LIKE AN ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT GIVES US MORE LIGHT IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE REAL MEANING OF BEING IN LIFE…
I can’t say that I ALWAYS love my life, but I try to keep a positive attitude and look on the best side of things. It sure doesn’t do any good to dwell on the negative–it just attracts more negativity. I find it best to focus on what gives me peace and pleasure in life and put the rest behind me as soon as I can.
I ordered my first HBB nearly 4 years ago. It went on an Alaskan cruise with me. My husband booked the cruise one the year anniversary of being diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and having successfully completed my chemo. The bag was a celebration of life – and that I was living it to the fullest.
Suddenly, I had a massive relapse. The bag became my “chemo” travel bag. It held my cd player for books on tape, my lap blanket, and snacks for during the 8 hours of week chemo treatments. Again, I was the victor.
Two years later, I was dealt the hand of having cervical cancer. The bag and I went on another chemo journey. My oncology nurse teased me good naturedly about my bag, and ended up buying one for herself. Once again, I triumphed and was able to “love my life” to the fullest extent.
In December of 2009, I wasn’t feeling well. You guessed it – diagnosis – cancer. This time of the thyroid and the parathyroid glands. It is a good thing I like my oncologist and surgeon. My husband ordered me a new HBB bag as I’d nearly worn out my first one. Surgery followed in March 2010. I am LOVING MY LIFE. chemo wasn’t necessary as everything was encapsulated, What is there not to love? What joy there would be to wear/carry/use a “I LOVE MY LIFE” bag. We are taking another cruise to celebrate my victory over another fight with cancer. Sharing love of life is a great way to make new friends and share hope.
I love my life because my sister is a cancer survivor rather than a cancer patient. I moved half-way across the country and left my job to be with her while she went through a grueling treatment. Seeing her suffer for months on end was the hardest thing I have ever done, and being with her was the best decision I have made – well, a tie with the decision to have a baby. She is still recovering from all the effects of treatment, and will be for some months or years. I don’t have a job and stay with family and friends. Yet I find myself walking around with a grin on my face. We prevailed. My sister will be okay, so I will be okay, my family is well – I love our lives.
p.s. big ups to you Barb!
On 12-29-08 I returned to the office of the business that my husband and I began in 1988. My husband wasn’t there; just a note to tell me that he was gone; my job was gone; and that he was giving away our business to his new employer. To this day he does not think his decisions are any big deal. A year later I still struggle to understand how a good man/nice man could do such a thing to his wife of 35 years.
Although I still do not have answers I do have relief from pain, and love in my heart from my renewed relationship with Jesus Christ my Lord. His Love and Saving Grace are the focus of my thoughts. My heart has been changed and each day He is my First and Last thought. No matter the trial, He is there for each of us to trust and lean upon in our struggles.
And it seems there is never just one, two or three struggles. Last Christmas my 90 year old mother spiraled down into two life or death moments where I chose to override her “do not resuscitate” orders in health care. Never having faced death so closely or dramatically as that and without the support of my husband, it was the most exhausting experience of my life. The stress of all these changes in my life dramatically impacted my former priority lists. Without Christ in my life there is no chance I could have survived last year.
I am thankful that my Mother is still here and in OK condition, I am thankful for my mental and physical health and I am thankful that the Lord provides for our safety and well being.
My friends and new acquaintances think I am strong. I am not strong but I know the ONE who is.
AMEN
I love my life so much. After several bouts of depression I have got myself on track, with the help of my lovely husband who is always there for me. Life has been hard but trying to get fitter, enjoying the company of my lovely 19yr old daughter and my two dogs – and my wonderful job have all kept me smiling.
Veggie patch – here I come!
X
I just wanted to tell you how much your post resonated with me. I too am a recent breast cancer survivor and I can relate very much to your feeling of how much you love life after cancer and chemo.
I think I feel it most when around the friends and family members who held me up and helped me through the worst parts of the cancer treatment.
I often said as I was going through my treatment that I felt it would have been impossible to feel down because I had so many people lifting me up.
In fact, for almost every doctor visit and all my treatments, my partner Drew and I had what I like to call “my entourage”, one or two friends who would come with us, take notes for us and keep him company while I was off with a doctor or nurse alone. Different people each time, too.
All of the kindnesses they showed at that time and beyond were amazing to me. Some friends sent me teddy bears, others wrote me weekly cards to cheer me, others just called and others just made sure to give me a hug when they saw me. Most of them also cared for Drew as he cared for me.
It was so overwhelming to feel all this love coming my way on a daily basis. It was family, church friends, work friends and even some fairly new acquaintances — it was the only thing that made me cry. I didn’t cry about the cancer but I cried every time I allowed myself to feel the magnitude of love focused on me. I will never forget that feeling.
If you don’t feel that you love your life after all that love comes your way at the darkest hour of your life, then you cannot be reached. I truly believe that.
After both of my sisters died last year (one copd, one heart attack), I focus on the precious each day–my dear, wonderful husband, my crazy wild cat, my friends, the sun, the flowers coming up… Every day is a reaffirmation of love and life, tinged with the awareness that I won’t last forever but while I’m here I’ll celebrate every day. I do love my life, and I love the lives of those I’ve lost and those with whom I still share the earth.
Peace, love, abundance and joy to all who read this.
I Love my life because of the people in it. I am Blessed to have wonderful people in my life. From my parents, my husband and my daughter. I work hard and try to play just as hard. I have lost loved ones and have a dear dear friend fighting for her life – this too gives me reason to celebrate each day. I see God working in my life, how can I not love life?
I love my life because I am a teacher. I get to change the world on a daily basis. Honestly, what’s not to love?
I love my life, too… At 36 I found myself with a rapid, pounding heart rate. I trip in the ambulance to the hospital revealed that I have a-fib (atrial fibrillation). I’ve had out-patient heart surgery to get me off the meds. It didn’t quite work because I’m back on the meds, but I feel better than I have in 18 months (I’m now 37). I’m realizing, again, the joys of parenting my four children, the joys of hard physical work, the joys of being married to the best husband ever (imho). Though I have to take meds twice a day every day, I feel like I’ve had my life handed back to me with someone saying, “Here’s your life. Take it. Enjoy it. It’s going to be alright.”
Also… Just want to send hugs to all you women who have survived cancer. You are true blessing and inspirations to us all.
I love my heathy back bag. I am on oxygen 24/7 an I have a portable liquid oxygen tank its small an is belted on my the waist. I’m only 4′ 10″and weight 90 lbs,an its a little heavy some days. But it fits in my heathy back bag (med) an it so much better than around my waist. I love my life.
I love my life because I have wonderful family and friends. I love my church and my spiritual community. I love my job and the people I work with. I feel fortunate to be living in an era where we have access to modern technology. I have reconnected with friends I haven’t seen for years, thanks to Facebook and the internet, and I get to tell you how much I love my Ameribags. They are the best purses I could ever wish for and I will not carry anything else.
I love my life!!! I had a brain tumor removed at age 10 & another one at age 13. I don’t have any peripheral vision & have complete Pituitary failure. I am very blessed to be alive an to have any vision at all! I am a retired teacher’s assistant. I taught for13 years.
I now suffer from Spinal Stenosis , Hip Bursitis & Degenerative Disc Disease at age 44.
Your bag is the only bag that carries my purse items without hurting!!! I am very grateful for your Ameribag!!!
I LOVE MY LIFE because each day presents new opportunities for my to help my family, friends and community regardless of what challenges might arise.
My HBB is one way that I take care of myself so that I can persevere, dealing with the daily challenges of my husbands Alzheimer’s, my daughters Dyslexia, my mother’s recovery from her broken hip, my search for a new job and now I must recover from injuries suffered when an out of control driver totaled my car last Monday.
However, I am blessed by the Lord and all will be well; my trusty black HBB will see me thru and as soon as my priorities allow I will replace my well-worn, much loved HBB with one of these beautiful new bags (unless I happen to be the lucky winner of this drawing).
“I Love My Life”, started back when my grandson got cancer ( he was 2 years old at the time ). The first time that I saw him laying in his hospital bed with IV tubes in his little arms , I said to myself ( why should anyone have to be so sick at such an early age ). So I went down to the Hospitals chapel and wrote in the prayer book asking God watch over my grandson ) , well that was a years ago my grandson is now cancer free ( he’s going to be turning 13 years old this December). He’s the #1 reason why I love my life ( just to watch him growup into a smart young man).
I love my life, it never ceases to amaze me.
I love my life. I have fantastic family, great friends, and 2 dogs that go crazy with excitement every time I come home. And I have a couple nice looking purses that are comfortable to carry and don’t slide off my shoulder – that’s just gravy!
I truly love my life! I’m 62 and still feel happy to wake up to the birds singing, or the rain falling on the roof. I spent many years as a musician, traveling all over and enjoying the adventures of new places and new faces. In 2000, I was diagnosed with severe diabetes, but for some reason that didn’t stop me in my tracks. I decided to make a big change, and moved to the UK, where I married my long time best friend, and we live happily together along with our beautiful german shepherd dog. I have learned that no matter what life throws your way, you have the strength within to handle it!
So, here I am at 62. Still enjoying the morning filled with birds singing, a wet sloppy greeting from Stan, our dog, and the wonder of what this new day might bring!
Go ahead and ‘love your life’…it’s a gift!!!
I love my crazy life. Every day is something new. I am a 32 year cancer survivor, mother of three, step mother to one, a grandmother. I have traveled more because of my grown children then I ever did before. My first HBB was an Avon special deal. I loved it!! I later got more, in various sizes including a “diaper bag” to use as my personal bag on flights! It holds everything I need to make airports and planes more comfortable! Now my step daughter wants a HBB to use on her youth group mission trip to Mexico this summer. My HBBs have made my adventure called life a little more organized and enjoyable. Thank you Ameribag!!
I love my life as wife and mother. I have six incredible children who now have blessed our marriage of 42 years with 30 grandchildren. The joy of having a husband who loves me and is true to me is incredible. I feel great joy is seeing my children embrace life and find joy is serving their children and helping them grow into responsible, happy, God fearing individuals. Having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and knowing that he lives, that He loves me, and that I can someday live with my family in His presence gives me so much to live for. I love MY Life. It is indeed a joy.
I love my life! My mom is currently going through treatment again for breast cancer but this time it is in her lungs. She has Triple Negative breast cancer. She was given 1 to 4 years to live by the doctors. The Lord is doing a miracle as the test trial my mom is doing is working and the nodules in her lungs are almost gone. When your family gets hit with this type of news where life has been placed a time limit, your eyes see things differently. You begin to cherish your moments and let the junk of life go to the waste side. Life looks different now but I think through a lens that makes it more precious and puts whats really important in front.
“I love my life” on the HHB inspires me to stop and smell the roses and be greatful for life itself. What a wonderful way to bless yourself and others all day long.
I love my life. I am blessed with two wonderful daughters and a man who loves me. My life spent with them is amazing and I cherish every minute that we can be together. I am a teacher and face the daily challenges that every teacher faces: students who don’t care because no one at home cares about them. They don’t have any hopes and dreams but keep coming to school. It is so fulfilling when I can make a difference in that child’s life. It is what makes my job wonderful and adds to my awesome life.
I love my life. I have a loving husband and 3 children. My family is healthy and happy and blessed with enough money for the things we really need. My children are close to us and we live near our extended family and get together regularly.
I love my life, and I am inspired by everyone sharing about how they are thriving despite challenges, and in fact being made stronger and more aware of the everyday beauty around them as a result. I do all I can to be mindful, and slow down enough to appreciate each day we are all together. Our lives are a gift. I love to travel and experience how wonderful the world is, and so do enjoy my Ameribag on my journeys.
I love my life because life has so much to offer. …so much to learn and experience.
I would love a healthy back bag in seagreen moss. It would relieve my back pain and be easy to carry.
I love my life. Every day when I wake up I have unlimited opportunities to make a difference in the live of others, to spread loving kindness to every person that I come in contact with. It’s awesome to know what one positive, caring individual can do in this world if their focus is on others.
I love my life because I’m happy, healthy and have great family and friends. Also, in this day and age, I’m very fortunate to still have a job that I enjoy. I’m very thankful for everything that I have.
I love being me, in all my brokenness and strength, my aloneness and friendships.
I walk 25 minutes to my work, and I love observing the beauty and life all around me through every season. Although my work is not what I thought I would be doing, I’m thankful to have a job and to have the strength to walk to it. I’m grateful to be alive.
My Healthy Back Bag has made my walk to work much more enjoyable! SInce I don’t fight to keep my purse on my shoulder, as I walk through the trees I can forget I carry it. And after I put it down, I notice no remaining shoulder strain. It’s like a little bit of happiness in the everyday.
I can’t begin to say how much I truly love my life. On the surface, it may seem odd, as my husband and I are separated by 9000 miles, and will be for the next 30 months as we both deploy to the Middle East.
That being said, how could I not love a life that has him in it? He is my best friend, my anchor, my rock and my other half. Despite four deployments in five years of marriage, we are as strong now as we were the day was said our vows.
My life is blessed, with friends, family, and three dogs. What’s not to love?
My husband died of cancer several years ago at the very young age of 37. For a long time I didn’t care about anything.
I had a revelation not too long ago that life is a gift and David would have given anything to be with us and here I was just throwing away this gift. I am working at finding the joy again.
I went on-line to the Ameribag site to purchase a bag for a trip to Italy in May. Never thought I would travel without him, but I guess the truth is, he will always be with me.
I hope I win. That is my birthday the day you pick the winner. I love my life because life is beautiful. Without it I would not know the people I know or come to know new people along the way. I would not have laughter or tears or the experiences that make life what it is. And tomorrow is another day to give it another try.
I love my life because I have been blessed with 2 beautiful children, though they are 25 years and 4 days apart, it is a blessing to have them in my life. My youngest, miracle child keeps me young and healthy (running after him). He is my miracle, because I was told after my daughter that I would not be able to have more children without the aid of a very expensive surgery, then one day my doctor tells me that I am pregnant and that changed my life for ever and for the better.
I give thanks everyday for my children who keep me healthy, happy and mostly sane (we all have those days when we ;lose our minds) and I welcome the challenges and blessings that come with being a mom and grandmother.
I love life because I am still here. And I am here for my two wonderful Grandsons. I may not have a life threatening illness, but I do have a lot… fibromyalgia, Lupus, Asthma. At one point I thought about suicide as I was tired of being in so much pain 24/7. But then two wonderful Grandsons came into my life and now they are the light of my life.
I love my life because I have 4 healthy children who make me smile everyday , and that even though I don’t get to buy all the extra things that I love (like this bag ! ) I am able to stay home with them full time !
I love my life because of my hubby & kids, as well as volunteering with others. My family gives me such joy! Volunteering with 4-H or any of the other organizations I am involved with adds to the filling of fufillment and happiness I get from my family.
I love my life now because I still have it. As one of my favorite bands says, “Life is beautiful and terrible and strange.” And I wouldn’t miss one minute of it!
I love my life because my needs are always met. I like all the extras in life but know that I would be just as happy with less material things and the love of my son and husband!
I love my life because I have the most wonderful baby boy who reminds me every day to look at the world with wonder and joy! Every day is an adventure and something to be extremely grateful for!
I love my life as I look at my children and grandchildren. Each new little person is so precious to our family. As a family we have gone through tough economical times and health scares but we still have each other and our faith to keep us strong.
I love my life because I’m young, healthy, try to live a green life and spend a lot of my time paying it forward in my community by volunteering and helping others and/or donating to charities By giving of myself to others I feel truly BLESSED!