A good friend and college roommate of mine always said a 24 hour pity party from time to time can be really healthy, but never longer than that. So, it’s time to look at the other side of yesterday’s hypothetical situation.

If I didn’t have Marfan syndrome, I’d be pretty short. There would be no one in our home to reach the top cabinets, so we’d have to buy step stools.

If I didn’t have Marfan syndrome, I probably wouldn’t be a mom right now. I wouldn’t have had any time constraints on having kids, so we probably would have waited longer. I can’t imagine not having my two little guys!!!

If I didn’t have Marfan syndrome, I’d most likely still be shy. I wouldn’t have needed to stick up for myself or learn to speak in public about MFS from an early age.

If I didn’t have Marfan syndrome, I wouldn’t have met some of the most amazing people ever. I’d be missing an entire family unit!

If I didn’t have Marfan syndrome, I wouldn’t have this blog. That means I wouldn’t have “met” most of you, which is sad as thinking about not meeting the Marfamily.

If I didn’t have Marfan syndrome I, as Sarah commented yesterday, “wouldn’t be me. And I like me.”

For better and for worse, I am who I am thanks to Marfan. It isn’t the sole thing that defines me, but it’s definitely a big part of what makes me, me.

So, I’ll ask again: If you didn’t have Marfan (or insert whatever it is you might have), what might be different for you?