Over the past two weeks Ive been hearing a lot about cancer. It started with the shocking news of a very good friend who was diagnosed with cancer. He's only 40. I was stunned and extremely shocked with the news and it sat with me for days.
It's kinda strange...and I don't know if it's just me...but as soon as I heard the news my mind was already projecting into the future of what his funeral would be like...and how sad it would all be if he really were to die...which was a real possibility. I thought how many people he has positively influenced in his short lifetime and how much it would affect the community which we were a part of. I remember that once I did this quiz and it asked who I looked up to and why and it was this particular friend who I wrote down. This quiz said that often the qualities we often like about people we look up to are those which we possess ourselves.
I reminisced about the good ole times and I felt guilt because we hadn't been in touch for quite some time. I didn't even have his mobile anymore because I keep losing or breaking my phone!!! I emailed him and expressed my guilt feelings and how life is just life and things happen. He emailed back saying that life carries us in all different directions and that good friends will always remain good friends regardless of time and distance. He said that it's been a huge wake-up call to him to do the things he's always been putting off.
A few days later he emailed and said that the lung biopsy was negative for cancer but he had to have an operation where the cancer was. It was such a huge relief...it was like in one moment you have this prospect of losing a friend, and in the next moment you've received a second chance of renewing that connection again...I can't even begin to imagine how he feels!!!
Then came the news of Patrick Swayze. Then I watched some TV program about secret billionaire and there was an old couple, and the woman was also dying of cancer...but she didn't let it stop her doing the things that she loved...like dancing! She said...the cancer has gotten the better of me...but I have also gotten the better of it!!!...or something along those lines.
This morning my mum was on the phone to her cousin in Newcastle and some really sad news came through. Her second cousin living in New Zealand has been diagnosed with brain cancer which is in its fourth stage. She's only in her early forties with a very young family...I think four kids...it's so sad!!!
Perhaps it's a wake-up call to all of us to really appreciate what we have in life and who we have in our lives. To not take things for granted, especially the little things. This life is not forever and we have to embrace it and do the things we love. What's the point in doing things that we hate? What's the point in doing things without joy? Sometimes we think...just hang in there a bit more...just another year of working in this crappy job...but who knows??? We could die tomorrow. The question I guess we should ask ourselves is: would I be happy if I were to die tomorrow?? If not, why? And what can I do about it now???
For me, definitely it's in the relationship stakes. Career-wise I've been successful in one career and now I'm on my path. I've seen quite a bit of the world and I have great relationships with friends and family. I've got a degree and studying a grad dip. I've played lots of sport and am managing my finances quite well. I don't have a house or investment property yet, but that's not a priority for me at this point in time. I have all these things but no partner :-p hahah...
Anyway, the past few days been thinking about my non-existent relationship with a certain someone. My friend who was diagnosed with cancer is a very good mutual friend of both of ours. And now with my mum's second cousin diagnosed with brain cancer...maybe I should just send him an email to say g'day...cos you know, life's too short. And I've just been acting like a woman scorned...but heck...I should get over myself!!! Seriously!!!
Heck I'm not perfect! I have my flaws! And I'm not always nice!! Funnily enough a student offered to buy me a drink on Friday and I politely declined. He then asked me if I wanted to go outside with him for a smoke...and I told him that I didn't smoke. He then sat down next to me and gave me a 'tip'. He said...here's a tip...if you go out with a guy, you have to live a little dangerously! He said...men like women who are a bit dangerous!!! I just smiled...haha...and I said to him...how do you know I'm not dangerous??? And he repeated again that men like women who are a bit dangerous. I said...well...all I can say is that I'm a Scorpio. I asked him if he knew what that was (cos English is his second language) and he nodded and went out for a smoko break...hahah!!! Maybe I should've been less reserved and taken him up on the drink offer and maybe even the smoke offer! hahha...But hey...it was still during class time!! Except that we just happened to spend the last hour of class at the pub!! Practising spoken English of course!!! ;-)
Alrighty...I think I might send that email :-)
Carpe diem!
It's kinda strange...and I don't know if it's just me...but as soon as I heard the news my mind was already projecting into the future of what his funeral would be like...and how sad it would all be if he really were to die...which was a real possibility. I thought how many people he has positively influenced in his short lifetime and how much it would affect the community which we were a part of. I remember that once I did this quiz and it asked who I looked up to and why and it was this particular friend who I wrote down. This quiz said that often the qualities we often like about people we look up to are those which we possess ourselves.
I reminisced about the good ole times and I felt guilt because we hadn't been in touch for quite some time. I didn't even have his mobile anymore because I keep losing or breaking my phone!!! I emailed him and expressed my guilt feelings and how life is just life and things happen. He emailed back saying that life carries us in all different directions and that good friends will always remain good friends regardless of time and distance. He said that it's been a huge wake-up call to him to do the things he's always been putting off.
A few days later he emailed and said that the lung biopsy was negative for cancer but he had to have an operation where the cancer was. It was such a huge relief...it was like in one moment you have this prospect of losing a friend, and in the next moment you've received a second chance of renewing that connection again...I can't even begin to imagine how he feels!!!
Then came the news of Patrick Swayze. Then I watched some TV program about secret billionaire and there was an old couple, and the woman was also dying of cancer...but she didn't let it stop her doing the things that she loved...like dancing! She said...the cancer has gotten the better of me...but I have also gotten the better of it!!!...or something along those lines.
This morning my mum was on the phone to her cousin in Newcastle and some really sad news came through. Her second cousin living in New Zealand has been diagnosed with brain cancer which is in its fourth stage. She's only in her early forties with a very young family...I think four kids...it's so sad!!!
Perhaps it's a wake-up call to all of us to really appreciate what we have in life and who we have in our lives. To not take things for granted, especially the little things. This life is not forever and we have to embrace it and do the things we love. What's the point in doing things that we hate? What's the point in doing things without joy? Sometimes we think...just hang in there a bit more...just another year of working in this crappy job...but who knows??? We could die tomorrow. The question I guess we should ask ourselves is: would I be happy if I were to die tomorrow?? If not, why? And what can I do about it now???
For me, definitely it's in the relationship stakes. Career-wise I've been successful in one career and now I'm on my path. I've seen quite a bit of the world and I have great relationships with friends and family. I've got a degree and studying a grad dip. I've played lots of sport and am managing my finances quite well. I don't have a house or investment property yet, but that's not a priority for me at this point in time. I have all these things but no partner :-p hahah...
Anyway, the past few days been thinking about my non-existent relationship with a certain someone. My friend who was diagnosed with cancer is a very good mutual friend of both of ours. And now with my mum's second cousin diagnosed with brain cancer...maybe I should just send him an email to say g'day...cos you know, life's too short. And I've just been acting like a woman scorned...but heck...I should get over myself!!! Seriously!!!
Heck I'm not perfect! I have my flaws! And I'm not always nice!! Funnily enough a student offered to buy me a drink on Friday and I politely declined. He then asked me if I wanted to go outside with him for a smoke...and I told him that I didn't smoke. He then sat down next to me and gave me a 'tip'. He said...here's a tip...if you go out with a guy, you have to live a little dangerously! He said...men like women who are a bit dangerous!!! I just smiled...haha...and I said to him...how do you know I'm not dangerous??? And he repeated again that men like women who are a bit dangerous. I said...well...all I can say is that I'm a Scorpio. I asked him if he knew what that was (cos English is his second language) and he nodded and went out for a smoko break...hahah!!! Maybe I should've been less reserved and taken him up on the drink offer and maybe even the smoke offer! hahha...But hey...it was still during class time!! Except that we just happened to spend the last hour of class at the pub!! Practising spoken English of course!!! ;-)
Alrighty...I think I might send that email :-)
Carpe diem!
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