In January of this year I heard one of my favorite words, remission! For those dealing with cancer it is a sweet word indeed. While there have been a few hiccups over the last ten months, my overall health is good. Based upon specific cellular structure (deletions, mutations) I still don’t fully comprehend, the prognosis is good that this remission will last for a few years. What happens then? Who knows?
I’ll tell you who knows, God knows. The One who created all life and holds the universe together by His will, He knows. And He knows your future as well. So those concerns you have about your health, your finances, your kids, your marriage, the future of our nation and the world in which we live; all of these concerns are legitimate and held in His strong hands.
Yes, this uninvited guest is still here, still taking up residence in my bone marrow, but not in the marrow of my being. To paraphrase a quote from Montel Williams “I have leukemia, leukemia does not have me.”
Leukemia is certainly a part of my life, but it does not define me; nor do your challenges and obstacles define who you are. They make up a portion of our lives, of our being; but our faith, our response to life’s challenges and victories are a much greater part of our true self.
One positive aspect of this disease is the perspective on life it offers. You see life ends, this year I said goodbye to two of my closest friends, one to cancer and her husband to a broken heart and no will to live. I mourn for Coco, but I confess that I am a little angry at Mark. Angry because he made a choice to quit when quitting wasn’t necessary. Coco fought valiantly and courageously and served as an inspiration to me when I was diagnosed and her death was much too soon. Mark just couldn’t get past his hurt and while his friends tried, we could not encourage him to engage in life.
Both left much too soon and both left a hole in my life that will never be filled; it cannot. We cannot replace those who have touched our lives, nor can we substitute our own impact in this world. Only you can be you, only you can sing the unique and special song you were created to sing. Only you can breathe the life you were designed to breathe.
Make no mistake, life only offers perspectives, it does not magically impart it upon us; we must listen to the voice of eternity and make our choices, for we are the only ones who can.
Peace,
Dan
