16. Life isn't always fair, but it's still precious.
Today I am grateful for perspective only gained in waking hours, and also that gained from the restful hours. I am grateful for grapes and avocados too.
As I move through the "17 Points of Clarity" I am moving though a busy week, trying to rest and conserve my legs and energy for Sunday's marathon. Conserving energy is not my forte, so it is a stretch for me, but a good one.
16. Life isn't always fair, but it's still precious.
I often reminded myself as I experienced the losses cancer handed me that there are far worse things to lose than hair and breasts. It rings truer and stronger in the months since my sister Mary Jo's death. It isn't fair that I face two diseases that kill people every day--cancer and alcoholism--and yet I am still here. Mary Jo, Janine, Deb, Lisa, and Rachel are not. Steve, Sean, Cathy, and Jenny are not.
This isn't about shame or guilt. There is more than enough of that to go around. It is about pausing to acknowledge that we don't get all that we want, but that also means we don't get plenty that we didn't want.
It's not fair that some are born into healthier families, some more dysfunctional. It's not fair that I was born in a developed country with clean water to drink and many millions were not.
It's not fair that Mary Jo's cancer metastasized and killed her.
It's not fair that I arrived home safely on drunken nights while others never made it home.
It is not fair that I have innumerable blessings. We all do, if we pay attention and honor the gifts.
Mary Oliver's words seem fitting here:
"Tell me, what is is that you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
And these words of hers, shared by my sister Leonice, written by her hand, in a special moment shared with our sisters Zita and Ruth, at the time of Mary Jo's death:
As I move through the "17 Points of Clarity" I am moving though a busy week, trying to rest and conserve my legs and energy for Sunday's marathon. Conserving energy is not my forte, so it is a stretch for me, but a good one.
16. Life isn't always fair, but it's still precious.
I often reminded myself as I experienced the losses cancer handed me that there are far worse things to lose than hair and breasts. It rings truer and stronger in the months since my sister Mary Jo's death. It isn't fair that I face two diseases that kill people every day--cancer and alcoholism--and yet I am still here. Mary Jo, Janine, Deb, Lisa, and Rachel are not. Steve, Sean, Cathy, and Jenny are not.
This isn't about shame or guilt. There is more than enough of that to go around. It is about pausing to acknowledge that we don't get all that we want, but that also means we don't get plenty that we didn't want.
It's not fair that some are born into healthier families, some more dysfunctional. It's not fair that I was born in a developed country with clean water to drink and many millions were not.
It's not fair that Mary Jo's cancer metastasized and killed her.
It's not fair that I arrived home safely on drunken nights while others never made it home.
It is not fair that I have innumerable blessings. We all do, if we pay attention and honor the gifts.
Mary Oliver's words seem fitting here:
"Tell me, what is is that you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
And these words of hers, shared by my sister Leonice, written by her hand, in a special moment shared with our sisters Zita and Ruth, at the time of Mary Jo's death:
Life is precious. Life is fragile.
Embrace it fully today.
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