The Grati-Dude Diaries: Episode 18

Meridith’s Story: A journey through hardship, hope, and unwavering faith. A reminder that gratitude often grows in the hardest soil.

You’re reading The Grati-Dude Diaries — a weekly companion for those exploring how to practice gratitude in new, personal, and creative ways. Thanks for stopping by.

---

This week marks a first for The Grati-Dude Diaries: our very first guest post.

From the start, the goal of this space has been to grow a community where multiple voices can share what it means to live a life of gratitude — not just on the good days, but in the middle of real life.

Today’s story is powerful.

It’s raw, resilient, and full of grace.

Our guest writer has faced unimaginable challenges, yet continues to find beauty in the smallest moments and strength in the hardest ones.

Before you read her words, let me briefly introduce the incredible woman behind them.

I met Meridith over 20 years ago when we were both working at a restaurant in college. She eventually married my college roommate, and together they’ve built a beautiful life in Texas raising three kids.

Time and miles may have separated us, but even from a distance, I’ve seen her strength and grace grow deeper with every passing season. It’s one of the many reasons I’ve always looked up to Meridith. She carries a quiet confidence that’s steady, grounded, and unmistakably strong.

We’ve lost touch since college but stayed connected the way most people do these days—through pictures and likes on social media. I’ve watched her and Brian’s children grow up, and while I only see glimpses, I can tell that Meridith’s confidence and warrior-like spirit have been passed on to them.

To the outside world, she was in perfect health. A personal trainer who built a career inspiring others to take charge of their fitness and health journeys, Meridith was in peak shape.

Then out of nowhere, she had a seizure and discovered she was in a fight for her life.

Over the past year and a half, I’ve followed her journey battling cancer and multiple brain tumors, and I’ve been moved by the way she’s shared both the highs and lows — always pointing back to God through it all.

Last week, she posted a reflection that stopped me in my tracks, so I asked if I could share it with you.

Check it out 👇

Guest Post by Meridith

“Have you been under any sort of stress?”
The ER doctor asks as we check in, wondering what might have caused this latest seizure.

I blink up at the fluorescent light above me, putting my sunglasses back on. “I mean… not really,” I say.

But inside, my mind spirals…

Let’s see. September 29, 2023: I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic melanoma. Two tumors — on my brain. One was carved out of my skull by a craniotomy. The other — attacked by immunotherapy. Just when I thought we were in the clear, encephalitis hit.

I spent over two weeks in a hospital bed at Christmastime, brain inflamed and body weak.

This is seizure number ten.

Ten.

Each one stealing time, confidence, and the illusion of control. Each one reminding me that healing isn’t a straight line and I am not in control.

Outside this room, life keeps moving. My oldest child — my baby — is about to graduate high school, packing up pieces of our shared life to carry into a dorm room hours away. Proud beyond words but praying my brain and body can handle the stress.

The job I loved — pouring into others as a personal trainer — is gone. My husband switched careers after 24 years. And did I mention we have three teenagers?

So, no, I say again — not really under stress.

Because the truth is: I’m so grateful I was gifted this miracle and do not take one day for granted.

I am living and fighting for healing — every single day.

Finding grace in the smallest things — a quiet morning without symptoms, a laugh from one of my kids, a cup of tea. I measure victories in daily walks with my dogs, in sunrises and sunsets watched, in simple life-giving hugs or acts of kindness.

So while seizure number ten last week might be seen as a setback, I see it as proof: my heart is still beating, my fight is still strong, and this story, the one that I’ve been gifted — isn’t finished yet.

---

Reflecting on Meridith’s Story

Meridith’s words speak for themselves.

They invite us to slow down, pay attention, and notice the grace stitched into ordinary moments we so often overlook. I hope you’ll take time this week to do just that.

Thank you, Meridith, for sharing your story with such vulnerability and strength. You and your family are in our prayers.

A Note for New Readers

The Grati-Dude Diaries is a weekly letter where I explore the practice of gratitude through reflections, Scripture, and something I call Grati-Squares — simple doodles that visually capture moments of thanks. It’s part journal, part devotional, part creative outlet.

We’ve been walking through the Gratitude Flywheel — a rhythm built around six traits: humility, contentment, confidence, presence, kindness, and relationships. Right now, we’re focusing on contentment.

Big News: We’re Moving to Twice a Week!

Starting next week, you’ll see two regular posts from The Grati-Dude Diaries:

📅 Saturdays – Our normal reflections, paired with new Grati-Squares and thoughts on one of the flywheel traits. And maybe more guest posts!
📅 Wednesdays – A new devotional series designed to help you creatively express your gratitude through Scripture, prompts, and reflection.

Thanks for being part of this community. And Meridith — thank you for reminding us all what it looks like to fight with grace.

See you Wednesday,
Jason (The Grati-Dude)

“Make gratitude a daily habit and watch the ripple effect it has on your life.”

---

P.S. Here are my Grati-Squares for the week. I’m continuing to work through devotionals I’ve written on the parables and I’m learning a lot. I’ll start sharing these devotionals beginning Wednesday.