Yesterday I had an eventful day. I successfully defended my PhD dissertation. It was a day I had worked for for the last 5 years. My whole family came. It was a happy event. I did not accomplish this goal alone. How grateful I am for the support of my husband, family, and friends, as well as co workers and professors. What a blessing these relationships are to me! Living with cancer, whenever I spend my energy on an event, I know I will need a day or two to just rest at home with no plans. Today is a pajama day and I am spending it reflecting. As I think about my education experiences and my PT career, I am filled with joy about all of the people I have met because of my education and career. Professors, co-workers, patients, etc. How my life is enriched by these relationships!
The Lord keeps His promises
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. At different times in our lives we have the opportunity to receive blessings, a prayer from a member of the priesthood who places his hands on our head. The priesthood member prays and listens for inspiration from the Lord as he speaks. I am reminded of a blessing I received when I was sixteen years old. In that blessing I was told that I would have the opportunity in my life to receive a good education and that I should prepare for it so that I will be able to use it to serve others. I always thought that blessing was fulfilled when I received my Masters degree in Physical Therapy. I did not know then that there was more in store for me. Yesterday was another reminder to me that the Lord keeps His promises.
In another blessing I received last year, I was told I would live to witness important events in the lives of my family. The Lord keeps his promises! I was here for my son’s wedding! I became an instant grandmother! In the not to distant future, I plan to be here for my daughter’s graduation from her masters program. What a precious gift of time I have been given. How I treasure the relationships I have with my growing family!
Meeting Brenda
In addition to the people in my life I meet at work, church, in doctor’s offices and at the hospital, and in my cancer support community support group, I meet so many people on-line who are also living with cancer. These relationships help me fight this hideous disease with confidence and hope. I know I am not alone and I have so many inspirational examples of how to live with purpose and optimism even in the most difficult circumstances.
This picture is one of those examples. Brenda is such an inspiration to me. She is living with stage 4 cancer. This is a picture of her with her mother on a trip to China. Her first trip there. Brenda lives in Singapore. She reached out to me after finding me on Instagram. Through the amazing internet we communicate with each other and keep up with each other’s medical status. One early morning in the hospital after one of my orthopedic surgeries, my phone rang. When I answered I realized it was a Facebook messenger phone call! I spoke to Brenda and saw her face! I in the ICU at UTSW and she in Singapore!
A trip to China. It’s about family
Brenda tells me we have a place in this world and will contribute positively as we struggle through this journey. “Let’s brave on.” she tells me. I enjoyed hearing about her trip with her mother. They walked and hiked all over. Brenda does not look sick, but she tells me, “the PET scan says otherwise.” Oh how I relate to this. I have a full head of beautiful hair. If it weren’t for my power wheelchair, no one would believe I am sick either. People are surprised to see me when I get out of the house. I guess they expect me to be bedridden. I like surprising people!
Brenda was reluctant to share too many pictures of her travels on her Facebook page because she did not want to appear, “showy.” I told her that I thought pictures of her traveling with her family are inspirational. She is living with cancer and doing things that bring her purpose and joy. We both recognize that relationships with family and quality time with them is most important. It is also important to take the opportunity to live a dream when possible. It helps with mental health. Brenda loves to travel. What a great example of seizing the opportunity to live your dreams when you can.
Threading unchartered waters
As we finished our conversation this morning, Brenda told me, “with faith we thread unchartered waters.” I thought she meant to say “tread” instead of “thread.” She found an example of the use of the word “thread” in a usage source as meaning to “make one’s way cautiously through.” “Threading through dark alleys” was an example. I had mixed up “treading water” with her use of “threading unchartered waters”.
In fact, I love the image of threading through dangerous, dark, or unknown paths that can be scary. It is better than just treading. If you are treading water you don’t move anywhere. All your energy is spent just keeping your head above the water. Threading is moving forward through. That is the challenge with any trial. Are we spending our energy just treading? We can only tread so long until we are so exhausted that we drown. I think treading could be focusing on the helplessness of the situation, or reliving trauma again and again. We need to know how to process the trauma and move forward through challenges. If we thread we can thread with others. Brenda and I thread together. We share faith in Christ. With faith we thread. We are not alone. We thread with each other and with Christ.
As we finished our conversation this morning, Brenda called me her “sister in Christ.” There is no better thing anyone could call me. This blog post is dedicated to her. We need each other. To anyone reading this who is dealing with a trial or challenge. Seek out others who lift you, inspire you, listen to you, and thread with you through the challenge.
Chari says
Such an inspiring message!! Thank you for sharing. “Threading”. What a great word!!!
Julie Shill says
It is a great word right?! You are always threading with me on new adventures!