Last night a "Girls Night Out" for dessert turned into a very sad evening for me and a close group of friends as one friend told us that she has Stage 3 breast cancer. She is a very young thirty-six and has a sweet husband and four small children under the age of 7.
I am devastated for her, but in awe of her faith and trust in the Lord and her sheer determination to win her battle with cancer. I could not sleep last night. My mind was a mess of mixed thoughts - How will she do this? How will her kids survive? What if it were me? Would I be as brave? How can I help her? Can I be the kind of friend she needs? How bad will it get? Will we lose this friend?
I woke this morning, tired, but looking at my own life with new eyes. I hugged my kids more and picked at them less. I saw my husband sitting reading to them from the scriptures and said a little prayer of thanks that this man loves me (us) so much. I have so much to be grateful for - so much I take for granted! If it were all to possibly go away, how would I change the way I live?
Everything can change in an instant! We started our evening last night laughing, but ended it in bittersweet tears. Yet from the sorrow, something beautiful emerged - in the dim light of that quiet restaurant last night a circle of support was forged. We will surround our friend with love and comfort in the months to come and spend time on our knees praying for the miracle of healing.
5 comments:
it is amazing to me all the things we as humans worry about from day to day that really have no business getting us all worked up.
An experience like what you describe here is powerful to help us calibrate on what is important and what is not.
Whether it be loosing a job or being mad at some store clerk who won't do his job right we get all worked up over silly things.
I hope your friend gets better, I know her faith will help her along the way, whatever the outcome.
I am a blubbering mess after reading your blog tonight. I have a bad cold, so that doesn't help matters. I love your thoughts and will pray for your friend.
I, like Emily, am a blubbering mess as well. I will pray for your friend, too.
I will pray for your friend! Being as I work in a medical office for breast cancer patients, mostly post mastectomy, I see these ladies come through our office all day. It's a tough thing to go through, but know there is SO much help out there for her, from support groups, to clothing, etc. If you need any links or help to give to her, let me know! &heart;
tHAT WAS BEAUTIFUL, THANK YOU!
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