Monday, June 22, 2009

Hope for a Better Day

I remember the moment the doctor told me. I had lunch with a girlfriend after the appointment and asked for her prayers. I knew from the beginning that everything in my life happens for a reason, I just didn’t know what it was.

I filled my mind with positive affirmations, using them as my shield to protect me as I underwent radiation and chemo treatment. God was with me I felt him there and knew I was never alone. My focus was razor sharp from the outset, the mission was to kill my tumor and regain the most important thing in my life -- my health.

Your life may feel overshadowed with fear of the unknown. Much like the ego, cancer has the ability to fill you with doubt. The miracle minded are not naive about darkness; we don’t carry around cans of pink paint and pour it over everything so we can pretend things are fine. Our power comes in facing our fears and believing our minds and our spirit have the power to heal.

Conquering a life threatening illness demands deep self evaluation. Following my second round of chemo when my white blood count had become nonexistent, I was hospitalized in an isolated sterile room. It is during these dark hours you can not afford to question your ability to heal. Now is the time to take stock in your power to slay the dragon.

At that moment my path shifted, my mission was forever changed and the wisdom of the ages became clearer. Marianne Williamson says, “Love is to fear what light is to darkness; in the presence of one, the other disappears.” Looking around me, I saw so many brave and powerful people overcoming life’s greatest health challenges. It was in that moment that I understood love is an ever-renewable spiritual resource. I can give it away and it comes back me in spades.

We each have things we are called to do in this life to fulfill the calling of our souls. It’s a challenge to be the person we’re capable of being in any given moment. In the end, it was my cancer that challenged me to dig deeper and explore who I really am and how I might choose to live differently. My hope for a better day brought me to a place that dissolved my pain and inspired me to never loose sight of my compassion for others.

1 comment:

JBBC said...

Beautiful piece Tamara and you are the living embodiment of the quote on developing character through adversity which I put on my blog this morning - “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved”.
http://beyondbreastcancer.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/developing-character/