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What started out as a site to update on our daughter's cancer has thankfully grown into a site to update on our beautiful family of four. Enjoy our journey...

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

I HAVE CANCER

Someone posted this to a previous post. I am not sure who posted it, whoever it was - please take credit!! I read it and loved it, and wanted to make sure that others got to see it too. It is so true, not only for cancer...but for any bump in the road. It is true that I have grown stronger because of NB, more compassionate, more tolerant. I have given second chances where I may have not before, I have forgiven, and I have forgotten. I have given more love and offered more trust. Cancer has brought a lot into my life.


I HAVE CANCER...

I have cancer but cancer does not have me.
Cancer is not who I am.
It’s only a bend in the road that is my life’s journey…
An unexpected detour on my path.
It is a lesson in the schoolroom that is human existence.
So I will pause to rest and heal
And study the lesson
Before I move on to my life beyond cancer.
I will not give in to fear,
And I will not be discouraged by setbacks.
Setbacks are only opportunities to review the lesson.
I will not be ashamed of my scars.
My scars are brushstrokes in the masterpiece that is my life.
I will be thankful for the many blessings that cancer has brought into my life:
People I never would have known,
Love that I had never been still or quiet enough to witness,
Humility I needed,
Strength I thought I had lost,
Courage I never knew I had.
I will remember that I can still have fun
And that it’s okay – even healthy to be silly.
I will remember that to find the joy in rainbows I must endure the rain.
And I will remember always that
While I may have cancer
Cancer does not have me.

author unknown

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello dear Preister's, My name is Megan and my Godson and Nephew is Deqlan here in South Africa, I have seen your beautiful comments on his site for a while now and just wanted to say Thank You for all your kindness, care and motivation. I have been following Charli's story for a while now and I am honored to know such a brave little girl! Our thoughts and prayers are with your family daily and we prayer for Charli in our evening prayers for permanent healing which I know our Lord will do. I have just read your poem over the phone to my mom and she is blown away with the "perfectness" of it! I have now printed it and I will share with all I know because you are right - it is a lesson in life and you learn to love, forgive, forget, trust and be grateful for each beautiful day that God sends us. Love to Charli and I will be popping into her site daily to receive even more good news along her journey of life! God Bless, Megan du Plessis

Anonymous said...

That is a really neat poem Brenda. So glad that someone shared it with you. I love to see all the happy pictures!
Jen

Anonymous said...

That is the most beautiful poem! I am posting it on Trenton's webpage. Thanks for sharing it! God Bless. The Kuta's

Deqlan said...

WHAT A STUNNING POEM BRENDA - AS MY SISTER MEGAN HAS SAID WE ARE GOING TO PRINT IT OUT AND PASTE IT IN DEQLANS PRAYER BOOK! GO CHARLI ! YOU ARE IN INSPIRATION TO US! SO GLAD WE ARE IN TOUCH NOW AND THE MORE PRAYERS & SUPPORT FOR OUR LITTLE ONES THE BETTER!
GOD BLESS
SAMM

Anonymous said...

WOW, THIS IS A GREAT POEM!!!
JEN