The heavy and the slow
This weekend I went to California for my cousin Vic's wedding, which of course turned into a giant three-day love fest and family reunion. What made it even more special is that my dad's brother and sister came too (Vic is on my mom's side of the fam). My uncle John has brain cancer and I hadn't seen him in several years--since before he got sick.
The entire weekend was like a gift from heaven. The amount of love and joy and gratitude that every person felt was so tangible and evident. The amount of trust and patience and resilience that my uncle is demonstrating in the face of something so scary is mind boggling.
He told us that he didn't view this as "fighting" a disease, but as submitting to God's will. Trusting in God and in the entire process. He said he considers his condition a gift.
On Sunday night I saw my friend Andy whose mom recently passed away from cancer. Andy's an amazing musician and talented song writer, and he wrote before she passed away, while she was still in a lot of pain, about the process. He has a lyric that says something along the lines of him realizing that in this life the only way we grow is through the heavy and the slow.
I was also thinking how attitude is so crucial to how our lives will be. What I mean is this, some people find everything aggravating, frustrating, annoying. Consider themselves victims in every experience that doesn't "go there way". Or have a very narrow view of what something going their way should look like. My uncle could be scared and angry right now, but instead he is a vision of serenity and joy. Andy could be furious with God right now, instead he writes soul stirring lyrics that others in similar situations can feel uplifted by. He smiles and speaks of his joy.
It's like these people really get it. That this life isn't worth getting angry or upset about. that there's something so much greater than all of us at work, and all we have to do is trust in that...
On a final note, I absolutely adore my entire family. I havent laughed so hard so consecutively in years. What a weekend:)
The entire weekend was like a gift from heaven. The amount of love and joy and gratitude that every person felt was so tangible and evident. The amount of trust and patience and resilience that my uncle is demonstrating in the face of something so scary is mind boggling.
He told us that he didn't view this as "fighting" a disease, but as submitting to God's will. Trusting in God and in the entire process. He said he considers his condition a gift.
On Sunday night I saw my friend Andy whose mom recently passed away from cancer. Andy's an amazing musician and talented song writer, and he wrote before she passed away, while she was still in a lot of pain, about the process. He has a lyric that says something along the lines of him realizing that in this life the only way we grow is through the heavy and the slow.
I was also thinking how attitude is so crucial to how our lives will be. What I mean is this, some people find everything aggravating, frustrating, annoying. Consider themselves victims in every experience that doesn't "go there way". Or have a very narrow view of what something going their way should look like. My uncle could be scared and angry right now, but instead he is a vision of serenity and joy. Andy could be furious with God right now, instead he writes soul stirring lyrics that others in similar situations can feel uplifted by. He smiles and speaks of his joy.
It's like these people really get it. That this life isn't worth getting angry or upset about. that there's something so much greater than all of us at work, and all we have to do is trust in that...
On a final note, I absolutely adore my entire family. I havent laughed so hard so consecutively in years. What a weekend:)
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