Another Week of Life

Here is a weekend and medical appointments are completed. Chemotherapy was this morning and radiation this afternoon. It’s a bit out of my normal zone. Yet I find myself quite normal and customary to be seeing this group as “my people.” In chemotherapy I recognized the napping young lady, the cranky brother-in-law, the weak kneed grandma and the two middle-aged moms. In radiation it seemed as many were friends. They all loved the employees and the entire medical staff. Some stayed longer than others and some were return visitors.

It’s rare to find a whole new world of experience and friendship. I wasn’t so surprised to find a world of friends in the Himalayas near Namcee Bazaar. I’d read all about Mt. Everest and people of Nepal. The community of Pucallpa in the Amazon Rain Forrest was most interesting, yet few friends were collected. It must take at lease a month of time to develop something long lasting like college, organizations, employment or a community.

I wonder about this journey into the world of cancer. Had I avoided the communication or did the knowledge flash past like becoming an astronaut or bounty hunter. In so many ways I sought out my future one step at a time. The neighborhood, clubs, hobbies, school district and education.

I can now see just how fluid life becomes beyond family. That is the one thing that I did not choose beyond a spouse. The lesson for me is that the blessings come in the gifts rather than the choices. For my children and their children are by fondest possessions. Then comes brother, sister and awesome cousins, and their children. Nature flows a mighty third with music, color and words. A field of golden poppies, the sound of the wind and a story told about them.

I’m enjoying this adventure as all others before them. Learning about all things ‘new’ is the pride of life and longing.