Third Chance
Today I am grateful for the beautiful weather we enjoyed yesterday, and for the opportunities to share gratitudes and discussions of living gratefully with many people in a variety of ways.
Yesterday's second chance post has led to today's third chance post. After my own cancer diagnosis nearly 11 years ago, I did plenty of writing, processing, feeling. Those all continue, but are less intense in ways, at least regarding my own cancer experience.
One of the things I wrote about at that time was how getting through cancer was giving me a third chance at living life fully. Our first chance is being born, my second chance was surviving my active alcoholism and beginning the ongoing process of recovery. Post-cancer, following surgeries and treatment, has become my third chance.
Cancer was a catalyst. The experiences of many appointments, chemo, mastectomies, uncertainties, fears, physical exhaustion like none I had known, drugs and side effects, and much more catalyzed my desire to live a good and full life, redefined my writing goals, made running an even more precious pastime to me.
My sister Mary Jo was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, then diagnosed with a different, primary lung cancer in 2010. Over a year ago, her third cancer diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer was confirmed.
I don't know how many second and third chances that makes for Mary Jo, or any of us really. But I do know one thing. None of us will get another chance to live this day we are getting today. I will try to make something of it. I will try to honor the precious and fragile nature, and amazing awe, of it all. Onward!
Yesterday's second chance post has led to today's third chance post. After my own cancer diagnosis nearly 11 years ago, I did plenty of writing, processing, feeling. Those all continue, but are less intense in ways, at least regarding my own cancer experience.
One of the things I wrote about at that time was how getting through cancer was giving me a third chance at living life fully. Our first chance is being born, my second chance was surviving my active alcoholism and beginning the ongoing process of recovery. Post-cancer, following surgeries and treatment, has become my third chance.
Cancer was a catalyst. The experiences of many appointments, chemo, mastectomies, uncertainties, fears, physical exhaustion like none I had known, drugs and side effects, and much more catalyzed my desire to live a good and full life, redefined my writing goals, made running an even more precious pastime to me.
My sister Mary Jo was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, then diagnosed with a different, primary lung cancer in 2010. Over a year ago, her third cancer diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer was confirmed.
I don't know how many second and third chances that makes for Mary Jo, or any of us really. But I do know one thing. None of us will get another chance to live this day we are getting today. I will try to make something of it. I will try to honor the precious and fragile nature, and amazing awe, of it all. Onward!
Comments
Post a Comment