I do believe the fog has lifted...

And the weight of the world feels much lighter on my shoulders today. I think there were just a few things I needed to do to help get some of those emotions out.

We went out last night, and it's the first time I had seen any of our friends since the big shave. Only TZ knew, as far as I understood, and part of me was a little nervous at the reactions of those around me. The eyes always give it away. MJK came in and asked if I had to shave it all. He knew it was a wig, and you know what, that's ok. I joked with him that I had about as much hair as he did... Esther came up and complimented me on my hair a bit later. I told her it was a rental... I think I needed to make wig jokes. Teri complimented me later on my haircut - I had just seen her and Dennis last weekend after I had gotten the real hairs cut, and apparently neither one of them knew that the hair I had on last night slept in a box at night. She was asking if I still had to straighten my hair, and looked at me blankly when I told her "it's a rental". She couldn't believe it when I said it was a wig - apparently even Dennis didn't know. More wig jokes. If I can joke, I can laugh. If I can laugh, it's all ok... I told them it would probably be laying on the table before the night is over. That never actually came to be, but I could have... maybe...
I needed to make wig jokes.

I needed to run this morning. I have to say, I didn't really want to. But I knew I needed to, and by the time we came around the corner on Frye for the last 1/10 of a mile or so to the house, I knew I had needed that run. 8.75 miles later, I knew I had more in me. How about that. I'm still thriving.

This morning, while drinking my coffee, I read something pretty amazing. Lisa had written in an email, "Because of you, I am not afraid anymore of cancer returning. I don't welcome it of course, but I am not so afraid either. You have shown me that their is HOPE for all of us... and God, how great is THAT?"

Wow. That's just friggin' huge.
Me. Doing what I just do. I helped someone be less afraid of an enormous fear. That right there, that's an accomplishment. And, consequently, something I am very proud of. Thank you, Lisa, for sharing that with me. On a daily basis, I have people telling me they are in awe of me, and my gut reaction is to brush it off, because I really feel that I'm not doing anything all that awe inspiring. I'm simply living. With or without cancer. I'm living.

Come to think of it, if my living the way that I am helps someone else open their eyes a little more, and look around and remember not to take things for granted... if me going on about things the way I go helps someone to look at themselves and want to be the person they know they can be, even when nobody is watching... if my getting out and running, bald head and all, helps even one person lace up their shoes and give it a shot, too... I've done something.

Ok, maybe I am pretty amazing. Maybe just for today.

5 comments:

    On October 6, 2007 at 7:54 PM Anonymous said...

    No, not just today. Every day, my dear. In my 20+ years of sitting at infusion centers with cancer patients, I have to tell you that not everyone handles it with the grace and strength that you do. Of course, that's not to say anyone is better than anyone else, but simply that it isn't easy to "just be yourself, doing what you do." For many people, life becomes all about the cancer. It's people like you who show us all that no, it's about who we are, not what we have. **HUGS!!**

    On October 8, 2007 at 9:24 AM Anonymous said...

    today and every day...

    dude, just running the 8+ miles impresses the heck out of me, cancer or no.

    On October 8, 2007 at 11:34 AM Anonymous said...

    If I helped you, even for a second, feel better, then know that it is only a drop in the bucket when comapred to what you have done for me, my friend.

    Keep thriving, keep living, keep feeling, keep being you.

    This is your life.. you are living it every single day.

    There are so many things about you my friend that inspire me that have nothing to do with the big C.

    and the running.. yeah.. that's a huge one!!! makes the reasons i come up with to not exercise seem pretty lame!