Comments and My Friend, Linda

I just went on The Pioneer Woman's blog where she is having a contest and OMG there were 8,632 comments on the post!! That's eight thousand six hundred thirty two for those of you who still write checks. I doubt there will be many posts from her for a few days while she plows (pun intended) through them.

Anyway on a more serious note (one that will hardly bring eight thousand comments but should), I have asked my friend, Linda, who is living with cancer, if I can share with you part of a post she wrote this week. With her permission, here is some incredible advice from a woman who has learned to live the hard way:

"So if you, my dear friends, can learn anything from me, learn that you are terminal. It is highly doubtful that both you and your significant other will die together, so some of you may have to go through the grief of losing your life’s mate before you think it should happen – or do you think it should happen?? Well, it might not should happen, but it may happen. I want you to think about those things and work through any depression or fear. Be intentionally thoughtful and truthful with yourself. Learn honesty and open, critical thinking. Know yourself. Let your life run before your eyes as a movie might. Face your deepest, darkest thoughts and fears. Don’t assume you know how you will react. Just feel what you feel. Let it roll as if into a babbling brook that is silvery and beautiful running through majestic mountains, but see the trash that may be thrown in periodically. Accept that. We are not perfect, and we all have trash in our brook. Forgive yourself for those shortcomings you perceive. Ask for help with forgiveness needed, for yourself and others. Celebrate accomplishments, what you did well, and contemplate what you consider you didn’t do so well. What can you do about any of it? What do you want to let go of? What are you sick and tired of that interrupts your life and has always interrupted it as you can remember? What are your regrets? Can you do anything about them? Determine what that might be for those things you no longer want to regret and let go of those things you determine aren’t worth worrying about any longer. Really do both – do what you can and let go of what you choose. Just do it according to a plan or don’t ever think of it again. Push it out of your mind. Give it no more power. Simplify your mind, your thoughts. Love yourself as God loves you. Feel the power and move on to change and growth. It can happen. Don’t wait for tragedy to change you. Think things through now.

"Can you do this? Don’t wait for things to happen to you. Prepare in the way possible now. Enjoy every moment of your life and learn from those moments you don’t enjoy. What did you learn? Write it down. Revisit it periodically, and write your life’s journal. It may help someone else sometime, even after your terminal time has come. Be real. Be strong. Be happy. Don’t worry…face life. Gain power by choosing your attitude. I love you all."

We love you too, Linda, you wise woman you.