With eternal love, I dedicate Start Again, Not Over, and this Blog to my amazing husband, Joe Ximénez Oronoz, who was the first person to teach me the power, value, courage, and strength of starting again, not over!

Here he is enjoying the ocean view with one of our beautiful 21 godchildren.

At the age of 18, just two months after we had met, Joe became violently ill. For 4 helpless, painful months, I saw Joe literally fade away as he inexplicably began having excruciating, debilitating symptoms that, like hungry carnivores, began to eat away at his body.

Doctor after doctor, specialist after specialist, none of them could figure out what was eating Joe alive. And, then, in December of 1990, just 6 months after we met, Joe almost died on me for the first time!

But, our Great Creator had other plans in mind. The doctors finally figured out what was wrong and diagnosed Joe with a chronic illness that would forever change our life!

From the first time we met, it was love at first sight! It was as if we had known each other forever, had found each other again, and just picked up where we had left. I don’t know what it was. All I know is that, on June 2, 1990, I found my soul mate! And, my tall, dark, and handsome soul mate found me!

We always knew we didn’t have a lot of time. So, we made the best of it! As he fought to stay alive and borrow as much time as possible, we focused on living and enjoying the precious moments that we had together.

Joe, being the wise soul and man of great faith that he was, lived in the present and loved, appreciated, and enjoyed the moment and everyone he was able to share it with. Life was too short to relive mistakes, hold grudges, complain, or be sad or angry and not long enough to live, love, laugh, appreciate, enjoy, and be happy.

Joe was an intelligent, strong, courageous man, who quickly learned to Start Again, Not Over, by paying attention to and focusing on the things that mattered and ignore the things that didn’t. He learned to almost automatically evaluate his experiences, kept what he liked, what made him happy, and what he felt made him a better person and let go of what didn’t.

Joe’s faith, gratitude, strength, courage, love for life and those around him, and starting again, not over, made him the extraordinary man that he was and allowed him to do more than most people who have lived twice his age.

On May 17, 2011, at 7:08am, just 2 months after turning 39, Joe passed, having made this world a better place, making a difference in many people’s lives, and leaving with us all the proof of the power and strength of starting again, not over, and the value and courage of living a SANO Way of Life!

May our Great Creator bless Joe with eternal peace. And, may Joe’s memory live in our hearts, his faith and wisdom in our minds, and his strength and courage in our actions.

Question: Now, that I have introduced you to Joe, how do you want to take the lessons of this great man and become great yourself? How do you want to Start Again, Not Over?  Share your answer below.