Happy Anniversary?!? Happy Birthday?!?! ANNIVERTHDAY!!!

I really didn't know which way to take this title. This birthday/anniversary, anniverthday?? I have no clue what to call it is something that is so big and important it needs its own phrase. So I wanted to wish a Happy Anniverthday to the You Can Do This Project, which turns 1 year old today. To quote Kimpants. "Awesomesauce!"

Kimpants, who knew that your ideas and thoughts over a year ago could make a huge difference in the lives of so many people. I truly wish I could have people just send me videos saying thank you to you for what you have inspired myself and others to do. I bet you would be shocked by how many people this "little" idea has reached. I am guessing at least 10 maybe 20. :-p

Honestly, I can't even begin to guess how many people your idea has reached. I can tell you though, that you have made a huge impact on the lives of many with this project.

The "You Can Do This Project" background tells us that "Living with diabetes is hard, no matter what type or for how long you’ve had it. We often feel isolated or scared of what the future holds for us, and we become frustrated with all that is expected of us. Sometimes we deal with depression and anxiety; other times it is guilt and shame. We feel burned out. Sometimes we’re just plain tired of the all the hard work we have to put in to live another day.

Everyone with diabetes struggles at one time or another – and the term “struggle” can take on different meanings for different people. Validation and community have the ability to lighten the emotional load that diabetes can place on us.

That’s where this project comes in. Tell us your stories. Show others what living with diabetes is really like – no sugar-coating. Talk about the tough stuff. Show us how you’ve dealt with it. Let others see their own struggles and feelings through your words.

Show others that there can be light after the darkness; that they can get through the tough times.
Show them that they never have to be alone.
Speak to them the battle cry: 'You can do this.'"

It is true for myself and for everyone. Type 1 diabetes is part of my life, yes. Yet it is not me. I am not the diabetic priest, diabetic runner, diabetic ultimate frisbee player. I am Brian. I am a priest. I run, I bike, I play Ultimate Frisbee. I am unique. I am me, oh and I may also have type 1 diabetes. BLAH!!!! But diabetes is not who I am. I have known this for a while, yet I know how much the You Can Do This project has helped others. There was a top secret e-mail going around about the anniverthday of the You Can Do This Project, and the amount of responses of those saying, I'm in, I'm gonna blog this, I am so on this, is/was amazing. The fact that some people had been meaning to make a video and hadn't yet. The fact that others were amazed that Kimpants was possibly going to keep this on the low, not the DL, but not a big deal of this was crazy. So a bunch of people I know of started to think about this and come up with their own way of saying thank you to Kimpants.

I figured, what the heck, let me try one of these video thingys. Not sure how I felt about it. I realized my saying "hello" creeped me out so I edited it gone. I realized my eye contact was everywhere since I had no one to make eye contact with and I had to keep reminding myself to look at the camera. I also realized that I had about 30 minutes of awkward bloopers, which I thankfully deleted. Some people might see them and capitalize on the awkwardness. I also used my narrator or "priest" voice as my mom calls it at times. My bad. It is very hard to talk to myself as if I was talking to others who weren't truly there. However, I knew I could do this.... (Waa, Waaa!)

But hell I tried it, it wasn't as scarey as I thought it would be. Even though making a video late at night as tired as I am leads to bad jokes.... Sigh.

Kimpants, again thank you and Happy Anniverthday!!!