First Week Down.

Its Friday.  January 31, 2014
I have always liked weekends.  No work, something fun to do, catch up on activities or do something fun with the family.  Now it has taken on a whole new meaning.  Two days off, no radiation, no Chemo therapy.  How can a weekend get any better?  It just did. 
Well, this last week was, well, this last week.  It is behind. Done. Gone. Not to be repeated.  Even though the weeks ahead will resemble this last one, I get to cross this one off and not have to repeat it.
 I heard from a lot of my friends this last week.  I heard that so many people have gone through something like this or was very close to someone who had to go through something like this.  I even heard from a friend who went through this at the age of eight (8)..  Eight...  Talk about unfair.  At eight I was in second grade.  I had a nice young teacher, Sister Peter Damian, who liked me, I think, and who thought I was the best dodge ball player in the school yard.  She was my best friend and I would have married her if she wasn't already taken by the Lord. 
At age eight, I am sure I got a couple of shots;  maybe, polio and tetanus. I am sure I screamed bloody murder.  But having to have Chemo and radiation at that age;  I can't imagine.  This friend still has the insight one gains from going through something like that. She in young, but she is mature, thoughtful. She is kind, compassionate, caring and full of life.  I do not detect anger, grief, fear or pity in her:

 A Kiowa indian brave asks the chief,  "Why are the wolves of Good and Evil fighting within me?"  The chief answers, " The Evil wolf lives on anger, distrust, evil, fear, ego, lies and deciet.  The Good Wolf lives on kindness, love, compassion, faith, goodness and wisdom."  How do I know which one will win?  The Chief said, " The wolf that will be the strongest and eventually command the other is the one that you feed."

Her note to me was so touching and strong that I am still thinking of it and what she had to go through.  Strong, strong Lady.

I got another note from an old friend, who I had lost contact with for awhile.  He sent me a link to a  blog that his wife wrote while she was under-going treatment for her cancer.  Unfortunately, she did not survive her illness.  But, you would never know it reading her blog.  Positive, thankful, strong, grateful, determined, enjoying each minute, loving those around her. living in the present, working toward the future, appreciating all of nature, all of nature's beauty. This lady was, and is, amazing.  I wish I knew her.  I remember meeting her once, maybe twice, but just in passing and never really getting to know her story at all.  What a story I missed. I felt so close to her while I read her blog. These thoughts were going through my mind.  "Yes, I feel that too.  Yes, that is important in life.  Yes, we are all one,  Yes, we need to help each other and Yes, we need to share more love.  These are important things.  Not that other crap that we all buy into at one time or another.  We are brothers and sisters.  We should help each other like brothers and sisters."
 
I have found that there are so many people out there who are good.  There are so many people out there who have had their trial of fire already and are tempered and strong, ready to stand forth to help others in need.  There are others, like me, who tried and maybe did the best they could. But now I realize my effort could be greater.  The effort needs to be daily and it needs to be for every person I meet and come across.  I realized this week  everyone suffers, everyone has burdens to carry.  Wouldn't it be much easier for everyone if we all helped where help is needed?  Which is everywhere, in one way or another.  Namaste.

Antarctica 2012,  Iceberg alley.  Best Ice Berg climb ever!!!