The pattern I like the most.

Patterns. It's something diabetics are taught to pay attention to. Your blood sugar patterns, your eating patterns, your insulin need patterns. Patterns become a subconscious part of life. Our favorite patterns are ones that are flat line; consistent. We diabetics like boring patterns; we don't like exciting patterns.

But I am a person before I am a diabetic, and a woman at that, and my favorite pattern has nothing to do with diabetes. My favorite pattern is leopard print.

I have leopard print earrings and coffee cup sleeves,

facial tissues for my purse,

a girlie wine glass with leopard print,

and then there's everything else, including note pads, bathrobe, wallet, mittens, sleep eye cover, a dog-paw wiper, and even duct tape.

It took me seeing my leopard print things today to remind myself that I am still a person first; and that not every thought needs to revolve around diabetes. I can still have likes and interests that are completely separate from diabetes. It was a nice reminder to myself that I don't have to use diabetes as a frame of reference for every thought, every question, every answer. I need that reminder sometimes.