Sunday, March 1, 2015

Are you who you were a year ago?

Do you have a different job?  Do you drive a different car?
Do you have different friends? Do you have different sized clothes?
Or a new haircut?

A lot of things can happen in a year.  Whatever those were, resulted in the person you became.

A year ago, I learned the news that would change my life.  Every day since then, I have faced the reality of living with cancer.  My perspective is not, however, that I am dying from it.

A year ago, I had long hair.  Now, my hair is growing back, after losing it all from chemotherapy.

A year ago,  I made plans that had to be cancelled so I could begin treatment.  Now, I am doing my best, with the help of my friends, to make up for lost time.

A year ago, I did not appreciate as much as I should.  Now, I enjoy every single day.  I laugh more, because holding on to negative emotion is just exhausting. 

A year ago, I spent hours with friends and family explaining what would happen to me over the next few months.  Now, I can have conversations with others about the disease with a better understanding than before.

A year ago, I knew a lot of people who had never known someone close to them with cancer.  Now, my friends and colleagues are welcome to come to me and talk about how cancer has affected their loved ones.

A year ago, I had a more stressful perspective on work and my career.  Now, I learn something new every day, even if I learned it once or twice before.

A year ago, I did not have as many close relationships.  Now, I am grateful and overwhelmed to have the support of so many, in varying degrees.


A year ago, people thought I was going to die.  Now,  I'm still here.


Whatever happens as my treatment progresses and my cancer progresses, I will do what I can to be here next year.

Love, Sosa