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Gratitude Practice 11 of 12

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Up close photo of the centre of an orange tiger lily.
I really tried to cultivate a lens of wonder to view the world through.

Gratitude Practice: second week of fourth and final chemo cycle.

It’s powerful for me revisiting this timeframe – I’m very grateful that it is in my rearview mirror. I’m still integrating the experience, and blogging is certainly helping that. It feels like there was a Before Cancer, and I’m lucky enough to be looking at an After Cancer. I honestly don’t feel like the same person in many ways. It is a work in progress! So much gratitude to have the option of continuing to work it out. And beyond grateful for my support network.

Chemo Round Four of Four, Week Two, Day One (Day 71 of 85).

“I’ve had a remarkable life. I seem to be in such good places at the right time. You know, if you were to ask me to sum my life up in one word, gratitude.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

This approach helped me through. I managed to avoid a depressive episode, but wow, I was pretty miserable and often. I was just so sick, all the time.

Chemo Round Four of Four, Week Two, Day Two (Day 72 of 85).

“Being thankful is not always experienced as a natural state of existence, we must work at it, akin to a type of strength training for the heart.”

Larissa Gomez

Again, it was this weird blend of being totally in the present and yet being completely unconnected to what might be regarded as normal life concerns. It’s really hard to explain. I’m starting to read about post-traumatic growth, and it is making a lot of sense.

Chemo Round Four of Four, Week Two, Day Two (Day 72 of 85).

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

Robert Brault

I don’t consider myself as brave or courageous at all, but I was certainly aiming to live my experience with grace. I’ve never considered grace so deeply.

Chemo Round Four of Four, Week Two, Day Three (Day 73 of 85).

“Opening your eyes to more of the world around you can deeply enhance your gratitude practice.”

Derrick Carpenter

This idea of endurance, perseverance, persistence, surrender… I still haven’t found the right word. Any ideas, please pop them into the comments!

Chemo Round Four of Four, Week Two, Day Four (Day 74 of 85).

“Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.” 

Albert Schweitzer

A friend shared this approach early on in my experience. They had lived through their cancer experience and it’s so unimportant in their life now that they forget it on the regular, even when giving a medical history. #goals, right there.

Chemo Round Four of Four, Week Two, Day Five (Day 75 of 85).

“Gratitude is an antidote to negative emotions, a neutralizer of envy, hostility, worry, and irritation. It is savoring; it is not taking things for granted; it is present-oriented.”

Sonja Lyubomirsky

Seventeen weeks post-surgery.

Week Two, Day Six (Day 76 of 85) Tuesday

“Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.”

Fred De Witt Van Amburgh

It’s so true, but so easily forgotten.

Week Two, Day Seven (Day 77 of 85) Wednesday

“What an astonishment to breathe on this breathing planet. What a blessing to be Earth loving Earth.”

John Green

Memes may well be my love language, truly. I related to this then, and it still resonates.

SELF CHECKS

Ensure that you are vigilant around your self-examination. Train yourself to check your breasts/testicles routinely, and monitor your bowel habits and your urine output. These are our body’s early warning signs, and we don’t have a lot of awareness of them.

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