Cindy & I watched a good show on the Lifetime Channel last night, titled 'Five'. It consisted of 5 short stories about people, and those around them, who were diagnosed with breast cancer.
With my mother and sister lost to breast cancer...the recent passing of Cindy's cousin to breast cancer...my daughters school friend lost to breast cancer in her 20's...and too many of our friends currently battling the disease as I write this...we have had a 'much too personal' connection with this dreadful enemy.
The five stories were all moving...real...and believable. One of them, however, touched me more than the others...because it shed light from a perspective that I had not considered.
In this one story...a woman reacts to the news from her doctor...that the disease that she thought would soon kill her...was in remission. Her reaction was one I hadn't considered...ANGER.
Anger...because...in the months since her diagnosis...she had spent all of her money...she had cashed in her retirement accounts...she had drained her savings...so that she could do what she wanted in her last days...or as she said when asked what she had done with it all...she said 'living'. After all...we've all heard...'you can't take it with you'.
She was angry because she had given away many of her personal belongings and treasures...knowing she wouldn't need them anymore. Now that she was going to live...what does she live...with?
She was angry...because she had made some enemies...of her friends and family during her final months. She had decided she was going to be honest with them...and if they had hurt her feelings...or done her or someone wrong...she called them on it...and in turn had hurt 'their' feelings...and distanced herself from those around her.
Now...after hearing news that most people pray for...her cancer was in remission...she was angry. She was going to live...at least longer than she had been led to believe...and she had no money...few belongings...and few friends left.
I had never thought of this situation. What do you do...when you've planned to die...and don't?
All the stories were good ones...and heartfelt...and in need of a box of tissues if you watch them.
Dan
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