In 1998 I met a group of women that have become like sisters to me – my ”bosom buddies”, as we call ourselves. We met in a group called Healing Circles and continued to stay connected over the years in ways that go well beyond the boundaries of a defined support group. We’ve shared joys, sorrows, medical advice, the painful loss of some of the members of our circle, and renewal through the recent birth of a grandbaby.
I spent yesterday at a cottage with one of my bosom buddy sisters, Patricia, who is visiting from Victoria. After a wonderful swim and some catch-up time, she agreed to let me interview her for my blog. (Watch for a posting at a later date). As I listened to Patricia’s answers to my questions about how she is coping with her current situation, I couldn’t help but do some reflecting of my own.
As sometimes happens when someone talks to a friend that they can trust -- someone who knows them well enough to not be freaked out by it -- the topic of death came up. It’s not that we dwell on it, but anyone who has had cancer knows that it’s a fact of life that looms big at times, whether you are able to talk about it or not.
What occurred to me during our conversation is that I’ve had a shift since my cancer returned. I used to think that fear of dying would be a huge focus for me if my cancer ever came back, and yet the biggest change has been that I’m much more focused on living now than I ever was before. I’ve had cancer return and I’m still going strong! Every day is a bonus!
”Every man dies – Not every man really lives. ”
William Ross Wallace
You would think that at my age I would be beyond being influenced by peer pressure! Yet I somehow found myself talked into biking 150km from Ottawa to Kemptville in the MS Bike tour in just over a week from now.
