Monday, August 26, 2013

Our cancer support group met tonight for our monthly fellowship. We have been doing a book study which involves reading a book a few chapters at a time on our own then discussing what we read and how it pertains to our cancer experiences. The book is Beyond Cancer's Scars by F. Elaine Olsen. Elaine is a breast cancer survivor and quite a talented writer. She beautifully entwines her cancer journey and experiences with biblical accounts. She truly has a gift!

There are so many amazing points to be shared. She opens her writings with a most beautiful paragraph:

"Courageous is the soul who contends with suffering, wrestles with suffering, lays claim to a stronger spirit because of suffering, and refuses to retreat from the battle until something is gained from suffering.  Even if that something is as small (or as huge) as befriending another soul walking a similar path."

Such powerful words! She frequently refers to the fact that we all have a "something" be it big or small. It may be cancer, it may be another struggle we face in life. We are "walking wounded". How right she is! We don't need an illness or a tragedy to feel despair and hopelessness, that comes far too often in our everyday lives. We need a "something" every once in awhile in our lives to redirect us, to help us focus on just what is important and to put things in perspective. It is how we deal with our "something" that matters.

It seems that although most of the summer was pleasant and relaxing it has ended with a great degree of sadness. Our community experienced the loss of a spring graduate of our local high school, a young man just 18 years old. He was a nephew to good friends of ours. A freak car accident claimed his life and left us all deeply saddened. Many began asking why such terrible things happen, especially to young people. As I watched our friends during their difficult time I began to understand that the accident and it's outcome was their "something". We all prayed that they would stay strong and our prayers were answered. Although Cole lost his life in a tragic accident, he and his family were able to give the greatest gift of all...the gift of life! Cole's family chose organ donation and by doing so Cole saved at least four other lives. As I reflect back to the paragraph above it fits so perfectly with his story. Cole's family had to have courage, they suffered the deepest loss one can suffer, the loss of a child. Yet they didn't retreat but rather trusted God and fought on. They took a terrible experience, a horrible "something", and made a miracle from it! God bless them!

Elaine's book is quick to point out that God doesn't want us to wander our paths alone, He wants us to bear our crosses and become stronger. By extending a hand to each other as we face our "something" we connect, share, grow, and learn. Almost daily I am reminded that my cancer diagnosis, although seemingly a curse at the time, has actually been a blessing. Because of it so many people have come into my life. I have grown in many ways, I have learned so much about myself and others as well as the disease, and because of it God has strengthened my faith. Certainly I would have never asked for this "something", but in hindsight it has brought me many blessings for which I am very grateful!