Posted by Dee on 9/21/2006, 5:40 pm
65.103.189.139
My namd is Dee. I am Willow's spouse. Willow shared today how so many people, including myself, fail to understand the reality of her life, her journey as a cancer survivor. I want to share that at times, I don't understand, because I am not walking in her shoes. I cannot fathom the capacity of her suffering. I am faithfu to her, and the greatest gift I share is love and devotion. We are human. We are vulnerable to the experiences of life, and none of us is prepared for what that next moment may render. Thus the need of courage, faith and will. I have not always been strong. I have not and do not understand the depths of the despair of my spouse. I hold her hand, I offer my shoulder to lean on, I wipe away her tears, and with the wisdom I have, I try to understand.
This is all I can do. All that I am is the wisdom that life's lessons has taught me.
Sometimes I become afraid and frail, and hopelessness overcomes me. I want my Willow back. I miss her. But life is a myriad of experiences, ones that can change who we once were. In becoming our new selves, we have to
embrace the journey of our sufferings, and learn to turn suffering into joy. We have to surrender
ourselves to accept the things we cannot change.
It isn't easy. Sometimes people don't get it, like Willow said. There needs to be education about post cancer trauma, that cancer survivors suffer post truamatic stress is real, and every aspect of life is touched by the journey of the survivor, and the other patient. (read the cancer monologue project book available at yahoo online, and at bookstores, publisher MacAdam/Cage. Thankyou for sharing this message.
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