A Moment in Time

Like Aldous Huxley wrote:

``Experience is not what happens to a man;it is what a man does with what happens to him``.

Cancer is not an experience that one goes out to find, like climbing that mountain or dropping out of a plane to sky-dive. Rather, it comes looking for one. But what you have done with it, by writing about your brush with cancer is so real, human and un-Readers- Digest-like.
The other nugget of wisdom says:

``Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson afterwards.``

Hope and pray you pass this life`s test with flying colours and show others how the lesson is learnt and dealt with.
More power, strength and recovery of good health to you, Revathy.

Words are always inadequare to capture something like this - even one`s own words. There is no element of choice, so the ``brave`` term - although perhaps well-meant (and designed to bolster the spirits) - is misplaced.

I wish you the best of luck - most of all, a continued focus on things positive - and the strength necessary to accomplish that focus.

If there is a positive side to this, it is the fact that more than ever since the history of mankind began, these are times when such maladies can be addressed the best - perhaps as best as is humanly possible! Not just medically - where the advances have been nothing short of superb - but equally important , by providing a better understanding of the needs of the breast cancer survivors and helping them sort out their own complex emotions through support groups and by counseling - to mitigate the extra-physical damages.

Bringing awareness of the disease and talking openly about the experiences afterwards helps other, newer victims like nothing else can. The ``C`` can only take away a piece of the flesh - but the spirit is strictly one`s own to hang on to - and to make the best use of. Please let this article be only the first step in that direction!

On side note:-

“I thank God for my handicaps, for, through them, I have found myself, my work, and my God”
Helen Keller quotes

Dear writer:

Very well placed article. You have done an excellent job of putting together all pieces of tragic journey of this disease, called breast cancer.

The human sufferings and toll of this disease is enormous. In USA , every 9th out of 10 women is diagnosed with breast cancer and every day a woman is diagnosed and dies from this disease.Men can also be inflicted by breast cancer and their disease is less responsive to therapy and more catastrophic. Breast cancer can kill young, old, men and women at a rate which is unbelievable.

Thanks to modern day therapeutic techniques, we are seeing so many cancer survivors...........

Speaking of survivors, you can call them survivors, champions in the fight against cancer or simply winners over cancerous deaths.

I have met hundreds of survivors with their amazing stories who are dealing with this disease optimistically with the will to live guided by their spirits. I always see thankfulness in their eyes as if they are more thankful to live, as if they value their lives more than others. And almost all of them are living with a new hope, a new light to shine their lives, they are healthier than others in the sense that they take care of their selves more and they have learnt a lesson, no matter what, life is a gift from GOD, don`t waste it........

Thank you for sharing with us your journey...................

Farzana,
that means so much. The Rumi is utterly beautiful and appropriate. So much kindness and love have I experienced during this time.
Please, please crack the whip whenever you have to. Need you to keep me on the straight and narrow.
Revathy

Revathy:

I won`t say it is brave of you to pen your thoughts about this very personal suffering, for you don`t see it as suffering.

For me, these are beautiful words and thoughts that capture `a moment in time` because Life is timeless. I just want to thank you for sharing this and for being there (and putting up with my regular ``When will I get the pieces?`` despite what you were going through).

Let me give you these words of Rumi:

``Don`t look at your form, however ugly or beautiful.
Look at love and at the aim of your quest...
O you whose lips are parched, keep looking for water.
Those parched lips are proof that eventually you will reach the source.``

Best,
F