The Olympic Year
I absolutely love the Summer Olympics. It’s such a wonderful opportunity for people from all walks of life, ethnic backgrounds, and religious beliefs to come together for a few weeks every four years for vigorous competition. It’s great to watch on TV but even more exhilarating when you’re a spectator at the events. I had the honor of attending the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and was living in Atlanta during the 1996 Olympics. This year, I’ve seen more sports on Olympic telecasts than I never knew existed, like a two-person flat canoe and trampoline competition. If I had only known as a kid that all those somersaults on the trampoline or on my bed could’ve led to my becoming an Olympian. I was clearly ahead of my time.
The Olympics are a wonderful example of what happens when we put aside our differences, albeit for a couple of short weeks, and see the common good in all humankind. It’s competition and camaraderie at its best. It matters not from where you come because the vision and goals are all the same.
“I use sports as a vehicle for learning: Just about everything you want to know is there.”
--Colleen Cannon (20th/21st Century American Triathlete)
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Friday, August 22, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Homeless Woman
The Homeless Woman
As Ruth and I were having lunch with a friend at a table outside, a homeless woman approached us. She wasn’t looking for money but rather asked to use one of our cell phones. As we all know, pay phones are gradually disappearing from most public venues. She seemed to be a bit troubled so I asked for the name and number of the person she wanted to call. I dialed the number, and sure enough John answered the phone and agreed to speak with her. The lady sat nearby and had a conversation with John that lasted at least ten minutes. When she had finished, she returned my phone, thanked me, and vanished into the hubbub of the area.
I have thought about her often since that day. There were many lessons I came away with but none as great as realizing the value of a simple conversation with someone you know. I don’t know anything about this lady’s journey, but I do know I became a small part of it last Saturday by giving her ten minutes of cell phone time with a friendly voice. Ruth and I believe that there are no coincidences in life. We’ll likely never know the true impact of our modest effort to help, but there’s little doubt that this woman entered our lives for a few minutes, and we’re all better for it.
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As Ruth and I were having lunch with a friend at a table outside, a homeless woman approached us. She wasn’t looking for money but rather asked to use one of our cell phones. As we all know, pay phones are gradually disappearing from most public venues. She seemed to be a bit troubled so I asked for the name and number of the person she wanted to call. I dialed the number, and sure enough John answered the phone and agreed to speak with her. The lady sat nearby and had a conversation with John that lasted at least ten minutes. When she had finished, she returned my phone, thanked me, and vanished into the hubbub of the area.
I have thought about her often since that day. There were many lessons I came away with but none as great as realizing the value of a simple conversation with someone you know. I don’t know anything about this lady’s journey, but I do know I became a small part of it last Saturday by giving her ten minutes of cell phone time with a friendly voice. Ruth and I believe that there are no coincidences in life. We’ll likely never know the true impact of our modest effort to help, but there’s little doubt that this woman entered our lives for a few minutes, and we’re all better for it.
Click "Comments" below to share your thoughts or opinion.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Checkup
Checkup
I just got back from Atlanta after having my six month checkup for breast cancer. Needless to say, even when you’re healthy again there’s something very emotional about visiting your oncologist, the doctor who gives you your protocol of chemotherapy to keep you going. The waiting room is a very moving place because most of the 30+ seats are occupied by patients and caregivers. There’s a routine here that begins with checking in and then sitting in the waiting room until it’s your turn to have blood drawn. Then it’s back to the waiting room until your name is called for either treatment or a checkup visit like mine.
On this particular day, there are more people waiting for treatment than checkups. I feel the pain of many and always try to create a higher positive energy for those around me who are waiting their turn for treatment. It’s a difficult but much-needed practice in environments such as these to create healthier surroundings. It’s truly one of the key reasons why Ruth and I founded Trust Your Journey.
My checkup was great, and I’m healthier than ever. I did take away one sad bit of news from my checkup. My chemo buddy, Mrs. Perun, about whom I wrote in previous journal entries as well as in Breast Cancer Wellness magazine, passed away last month. I’ll miss her and will be forever grateful for all she did for me during my own chemo treatments.
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”
--Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
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I just got back from Atlanta after having my six month checkup for breast cancer. Needless to say, even when you’re healthy again there’s something very emotional about visiting your oncologist, the doctor who gives you your protocol of chemotherapy to keep you going. The waiting room is a very moving place because most of the 30+ seats are occupied by patients and caregivers. There’s a routine here that begins with checking in and then sitting in the waiting room until it’s your turn to have blood drawn. Then it’s back to the waiting room until your name is called for either treatment or a checkup visit like mine.
On this particular day, there are more people waiting for treatment than checkups. I feel the pain of many and always try to create a higher positive energy for those around me who are waiting their turn for treatment. It’s a difficult but much-needed practice in environments such as these to create healthier surroundings. It’s truly one of the key reasons why Ruth and I founded Trust Your Journey.
My checkup was great, and I’m healthier than ever. I did take away one sad bit of news from my checkup. My chemo buddy, Mrs. Perun, about whom I wrote in previous journal entries as well as in Breast Cancer Wellness magazine, passed away last month. I’ll miss her and will be forever grateful for all she did for me during my own chemo treatments.
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”
--Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
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Thursday, July 24, 2008
Kristine
Kristine
Our dear friend, Kristine, is currently at MD Anderson in Houston having a stem cell replacement procedure that should give her a chance to live the life she should be living after having danced with stage IV breast cancer. This young woman has enriched our lives--together with the lives of many others--ever since we met her at a conference this year. This gal’s spirit is the real deal!
Ruth and I admire Kristine—her wisdom and go-for-it attitude are amazing. I’ve heard much about stem cell replacement therapy, but never could I have imagined the complexity of the procedure. My own chemotherapy pales in comparison with what Kristine is going through in surprisingly good spirits. She journals almost every day and always leaves me chuckling. Her sense of humor seems to peak when her life is on the line. Something deep within is telling me that one day soon these “challenging” days will be in her rear view mirror as she cruses down the road to wellness with her husband, two children and dear friends right there beside her. Is there any greater visual than that for me today? I think not.
“There are two more major hurdles to overcome---the 96 hours of chemo and the subsequent stem cell replacement, remember those CD34's---those prize puppies are going to come back clean as a whistle and will grow and grow and grow and I will live, live LIVE!!! Yeah for them & yeah for me!!!” –Kristine’s Journal 7/23/08
Click "Comments" below to share your thoughts or opinion.
Our dear friend, Kristine, is currently at MD Anderson in Houston having a stem cell replacement procedure that should give her a chance to live the life she should be living after having danced with stage IV breast cancer. This young woman has enriched our lives--together with the lives of many others--ever since we met her at a conference this year. This gal’s spirit is the real deal!
Ruth and I admire Kristine—her wisdom and go-for-it attitude are amazing. I’ve heard much about stem cell replacement therapy, but never could I have imagined the complexity of the procedure. My own chemotherapy pales in comparison with what Kristine is going through in surprisingly good spirits. She journals almost every day and always leaves me chuckling. Her sense of humor seems to peak when her life is on the line. Something deep within is telling me that one day soon these “challenging” days will be in her rear view mirror as she cruses down the road to wellness with her husband, two children and dear friends right there beside her. Is there any greater visual than that for me today? I think not.
“There are two more major hurdles to overcome---the 96 hours of chemo and the subsequent stem cell replacement, remember those CD34's---those prize puppies are going to come back clean as a whistle and will grow and grow and grow and I will live, live LIVE!!! Yeah for them & yeah for me!!!” –Kristine’s Journal 7/23/08
Click "Comments" below to share your thoughts or opinion.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Stuff
Stuff
I was emailing with a friend, currently living with her family in Taiwan, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Young Breast Cancer Survival Conference this past February. She recently moved from Macon, Georgia to Taiwan and hired an auction company to sell off all the things she, her husband and two children had accumulated over the years but could not take with them due to space limitations at their new home. The auction company has a website where you can view and bid on items you’re interested in.
As I was browsing the site, I couldn’t believe how many antiques and collectibles were among the many things they were auctioning. I sent an email back to my friend asking her how it felt to let go of all the memorabilia from her young life. Her reply was:
“We just never think one day we could accumulate as many things as we do now. After I had cancer, most of our value judgments changed, and nothing really meant anything anymore except our freedom to do whatever we want. Having a lot of stuff can only inconvenience the situation.”—Ishiuan Hargrove
Wow! How profound is that? Needless to say this weekend is dedicated to my dear friend Ishiuan and getting rid of stuff.
Click "Comments" below to share your thoughts or opinion.
I was emailing with a friend, currently living with her family in Taiwan, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Young Breast Cancer Survival Conference this past February. She recently moved from Macon, Georgia to Taiwan and hired an auction company to sell off all the things she, her husband and two children had accumulated over the years but could not take with them due to space limitations at their new home. The auction company has a website where you can view and bid on items you’re interested in.
As I was browsing the site, I couldn’t believe how many antiques and collectibles were among the many things they were auctioning. I sent an email back to my friend asking her how it felt to let go of all the memorabilia from her young life. Her reply was:
“We just never think one day we could accumulate as many things as we do now. After I had cancer, most of our value judgments changed, and nothing really meant anything anymore except our freedom to do whatever we want. Having a lot of stuff can only inconvenience the situation.”—Ishiuan Hargrove
Wow! How profound is that? Needless to say this weekend is dedicated to my dear friend Ishiuan and getting rid of stuff.
Click "Comments" below to share your thoughts or opinion.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Rain and Sunshine
Rain and Sunshine
I write in a journal daily. It might just be a few sentences about a dream or revelation I had, or I might hit upon a topic that keeps me writing for days. When I look back at my thoughts on paper, I realize just how much I’ve grown or changed or just simply how human I am. The real payoff of journaling is that, sooner or later, it leads me to be grateful for all that has happened in my life.
The one thing I truly understand now is that there are fortunes and misfortunes in every life. The rain and sunshine in each of our journeys are there for a purpose. If you become a consummate student of life, you’ll eventually get an education of the soul that lasts forever, and it will help you become all that you should be. It’s important to get into the habit of seeing every event in your life as a win-win situation. If you take away either the rain or the sunshine, the rainbow cannot exist.
“Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.” --Pepper Giardino
“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.” --Author Unknown
Click "Comments" below to share your opinion or thoughts.
I write in a journal daily. It might just be a few sentences about a dream or revelation I had, or I might hit upon a topic that keeps me writing for days. When I look back at my thoughts on paper, I realize just how much I’ve grown or changed or just simply how human I am. The real payoff of journaling is that, sooner or later, it leads me to be grateful for all that has happened in my life.
The one thing I truly understand now is that there are fortunes and misfortunes in every life. The rain and sunshine in each of our journeys are there for a purpose. If you become a consummate student of life, you’ll eventually get an education of the soul that lasts forever, and it will help you become all that you should be. It’s important to get into the habit of seeing every event in your life as a win-win situation. If you take away either the rain or the sunshine, the rainbow cannot exist.
“Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.” --Pepper Giardino
“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.” --Author Unknown
Click "Comments" below to share your opinion or thoughts.
Friday, July 4, 2008
One thing at a time
One thing at a time
I will never forget my reaction to the words “You have cancer.” There’s nothing in the world that can prepare you for that awful statement. I remember having my pity party for about two hours with many tears and fears that my life might end at 47 instead of 97. At the end of the party, my heart spoke clearly, assuring me that all was as it should be and directing me to take a one thing at a time approach. And that’s just what I did.
By making the effort to focus on one thing at a time, we learn to allow the journey to unfold as it should. There’s no need to force or resist whatever might be happening in your life at this moment. It’s better to break it down into small pieces you can handle rather than letting the overall situation overwhelm you. If you think about this, you’ll recognize the many opportunities you have in your life to practice the one thing at a time approach. The opportunities range from planning a big event or getting an education to the most simple everyday tasks. If I had allowed the cancer to dominate the big picture, instead of breaking it down into smaller manageable pieces, I’m not sure I would have learned firsthand that the longest journey starts with but a single step. Thank goodness my heart taught me the value of breaking it down to one day, one thing at a time.
“If someone asked you, “Can you swim a mile?” you’d say, “Nah.” But if you found yourself dumped out at sea, you’d swim the mile. You’d make it.” –Gert Boyle (1923- )
Click "Comments" below to share your opinion or thoughts.
I will never forget my reaction to the words “You have cancer.” There’s nothing in the world that can prepare you for that awful statement. I remember having my pity party for about two hours with many tears and fears that my life might end at 47 instead of 97. At the end of the party, my heart spoke clearly, assuring me that all was as it should be and directing me to take a one thing at a time approach. And that’s just what I did.
By making the effort to focus on one thing at a time, we learn to allow the journey to unfold as it should. There’s no need to force or resist whatever might be happening in your life at this moment. It’s better to break it down into small pieces you can handle rather than letting the overall situation overwhelm you. If you think about this, you’ll recognize the many opportunities you have in your life to practice the one thing at a time approach. The opportunities range from planning a big event or getting an education to the most simple everyday tasks. If I had allowed the cancer to dominate the big picture, instead of breaking it down into smaller manageable pieces, I’m not sure I would have learned firsthand that the longest journey starts with but a single step. Thank goodness my heart taught me the value of breaking it down to one day, one thing at a time.
“If someone asked you, “Can you swim a mile?” you’d say, “Nah.” But if you found yourself dumped out at sea, you’d swim the mile. You’d make it.” –Gert Boyle (1923- )
Click "Comments" below to share your opinion or thoughts.
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