Frailty of Life

This is sort of a deep post. Last week at Goose’s Acre, as five of us sat around the table enjoying a cold beer after a hard track workout, the topic of staring death in the face came up briefly. The topic was aimed at me and Micah, the other lymphoma survivor sitting at the table. It was brought up by my coach, who had a very bad wreck almost three years ago that totaled his truck. I guess it was meant to let us reflect on how we look at life now that we have seen death face to face. I have not ever discussed this with Micah, but I remember as I heard my cancer diagnosis, I immediately went to the idea that I would not survive. I looked at cancer as a death sentence. Over the next six months, there were moments when I knew I would survive and there were moments when I knew I was just weeks from death. The hard fact is that we all die, it is just a matter of when. Do I look at life differently? Some days I do. I have a great desire to help others with cancer. I believe my survival has given me a special opportunity to help others who may be facing the same thing I faced. Life is precious and fragile. After Coach Bill’s car wreck, he said you never know what is going to happen. He is so right.

This weekend Dana-Sue and I were have lunch with a friend of ours when we received a text message. There had been an accident in Florida and two of the swimmers on The Woodlands Hurricanes swim team had been killed along with their grandmother. In an instant, these parents had lost two sons and a mother. Their lives have changed forever. Life is so frail and my prayers go out for them. You never know what is going to happen.

I write this to remind each of us that each day is a gift and we are never guaranteed another day. I close with a poem written by the late Jonathon Blais:

Live…more than your neighbors. Unleash yourself upon the world and go places. Go now. Giggle…no…laugh…no… Stay out past dark and bark at the moon like the wild dog that you are. Understand that this is not a dress rehearsal. This is it…your life. FACE YOUR FEARS AND LIVE YOUR DREAMS. Take it all in. Yes, every chance you get…come close. And, by all means, whatever you do…get it on film. Jonathan Blais, aka ALS Warrior Poet, August 30, 1971 - May 27, 2007