October 4, 2008 was as gloriously sunny Saturday as it is today on October 4, 2025.

I know, because on October 4, 2008 I was supposed to enjoy a day at the North Carolina zoo with my ex-husband. The sun shined and the leaves had just begun to change colors. It was a truly rare Saturday that the ex-husband and I had the opportunity to spend time together. Instead, October 4, 2008 became a day I can never quite forget and that I never really know how to celebrate, Stroke Day.

I last celebrated Stoke day in 2018. It felt like 10 years was enough time to mark, so I did it right. I invited friends to my place in Aberdeen, NC and we had a lovely spread of snacks, and I had a cake made.

It was a great end to the Stroke Day commemorations. So, I didn’t really expect to be writing about it still.

On this Stroke Day, though, I haven’t been able to escape the memories. Maybe it’s the fact that the day is falling on a Saturday again. Maybe it’s the fact that, in a year that has already challenged me and the rest of the nation, yet another challenging event has just begun. The seventeen years since stroke day have taught me the depth of my strength and the boundless capacity of my joy.

So, whether I choose to commemorate it or not, October 4th remains a personal holiday for me. One that reminds me to be as grateful for the struggles as I am for the gifts.