Happy Thursday everyone! We just got back from Atlanta yesterday. Karley and I were doing a media interview for the Atlanta Free to Breathe Event coming up August 16th. We had the interview on NBC with the only other committee member besides me that has lung cancer.
I last saw her in April. She was so vibrant then. Now, I'm worried. She's such a sweet person with such a positive attitude but this disease is a beast. It's relentless no matter what your attitude is... Karley left the interview tearing up, afraid that I would get so sick.... I couldn't respond much except to say that I would do my best not too. It broke my heart into a million pieces.
Recently I was told that "I can change my outcome with my mind. Just believe I don't have cancer". Well, I say to that, "I believe I can fly". What will happen if I try to do that? Us cancer patients are busting our butts trying to survive. The last thing we need is someone telling us how to "survive" cancer. Don't you think we've done the research? I'm sorry but it's really getting to me lately. Everyone is trying to help and have an opinion, but some things are just part of God's plan and beyond our control.
I just had to rant for tonight. Sorry for that. Some days are good, some are not. Please understand that we are fighting for our lives and don't need to feel like it is our own fault that we have this disease and that we can control it if we want too.
Ephesians 2:8
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - "
You said something that resonated with me because it's in the realm of "The Secret," which is the "secret" of nothing except for how to make millions of dollars selling bunk to self-righteous individuals who actually believe that they're healthy, successful or wealthy simply because they immerse themselves in positive thinking.
ReplyDeleteYeah, okay. That must be why all those Africans are dying of Ebola right now - negative thinkers. And why most of that continent of good, honest people have been plagued by disease and famine. Negative thinking.
I don't care if you're the most positive thinker on the planet. If you meditated every waking second of your life. I don't care if the entire passenger list on the jet that fateful morning of 9/11 could envision landing at their destination, safe and sound. A handful of murderers had other plans and no amount of positive thinking was going to change that.
What's most irritating about this frame of thought is that it places blame on those who deal with some pretty awful circumstances. They're left not only to suffer through extraordinary, heart-wrenching challenges but then they must stand before a completely heartless buffoon who, essentially, blames them for what's happened to them because they CLEARLY must not have been engaging in positive thinking.
Having a good and hopeful attitude is extremely important in life and when facing difficulties - but there is no recipe that guarantees any of us a long, healthy life devoid tragedy.
Sky,
DeleteThank you so much for your encouraging reply! You took my thoughts and put them into words perfectly.
I wish more people could understand this point of view. Thank you for sharing your perspective. It read so much better than mine!!!