This is a photograph from our trip to Tuscany, a truly stunning and inspiring place, which takes your breath away. We all have a life story. These stories are testimonies to the events that help us shape who we are. When we listen to those stories, we can learn from the experiences of others and perhaps something good will come of that. Last night we went to a friend's house for dinner. I noticed a picture book and started leaving through it. It was a picture book of her story. A few years ago she was diagnosed with lung cancer. This is one of the cancers that does not have a good prognosis. My own brother Paul died at 49 of lung cancer 3 months after he was diagnosed. It was one of the most difficult experiences of my life, so sad and so intense. My friend decided at the time of her diagnosis to undergo difficult treatments and the outcome to date is that she is alive and well! Not only that, this experience is one of those life-altering ones and her view on life is fantastic. Seeing this experience displayed in photographs and seeing her healthy now moved me beyond belief. It is now part of my story. Her and Paul's story have shaped me who I am today and have taught me again that life is not about the breaths you take, it is about the moments that take your breath away. So something good has come of such painful stories and seeing her book was a moment that did take my breath away.......Saturday, April 4, 2009
Life Stories
This is a photograph from our trip to Tuscany, a truly stunning and inspiring place, which takes your breath away. We all have a life story. These stories are testimonies to the events that help us shape who we are. When we listen to those stories, we can learn from the experiences of others and perhaps something good will come of that. Last night we went to a friend's house for dinner. I noticed a picture book and started leaving through it. It was a picture book of her story. A few years ago she was diagnosed with lung cancer. This is one of the cancers that does not have a good prognosis. My own brother Paul died at 49 of lung cancer 3 months after he was diagnosed. It was one of the most difficult experiences of my life, so sad and so intense. My friend decided at the time of her diagnosis to undergo difficult treatments and the outcome to date is that she is alive and well! Not only that, this experience is one of those life-altering ones and her view on life is fantastic. Seeing this experience displayed in photographs and seeing her healthy now moved me beyond belief. It is now part of my story. Her and Paul's story have shaped me who I am today and have taught me again that life is not about the breaths you take, it is about the moments that take your breath away. So something good has come of such painful stories and seeing her book was a moment that did take my breath away.......
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2 comments:
A very inspiring story. Thank you for sharing your very deepest feelings Karen. These are the stories that link us together in common sisterhood.
I was first attracted to your post with your lovely photo, and doing some painting of a Tuscany scene, at the moment I thought I would better be able to express that scene, having never been to Tuscany. But, your story of your friend and brother are very precious. thank you for sharing.
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