Early this morning, as I was retrieving
the morning paper in my just-woke-up-not-totally-awake state of
semi-consciousness, I did the mental gymnastics of remembering today’s date. Let
me think, today is…well yesterday was Wednesday, tomorrow is Friday—OH YEAH,
TOMORROW IS OUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY—so today is August 21. (I’ve been
totally aware that our anniversary is coming, just had to clarify my thinking.)
Suddenly I was totally awake as I remembered the significance of August 21. It
was 5 years ago today we were told Judy had
breast cancer. FIVE YEARS!!!!!
“Had
cancer!” Five years ago Judy HAD breast cancer. Today she is cancer
free. We’re not yet to the fifth anniversary of her cancer being removed or of
her last radiation treatment. BUT WE ARE
AT A FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!
Cancer entered our world on the eve of
our 39th wedding anniversary. That anniversary was more tender than
any of the previous 38. As have many, I began blogging to verbalize my emotions
and keep our children, scattered over the world, in our loop. Surprisingly, I
find myself becoming emotional now as I relive the events of that summer five
years ago.
Once the word “cancer,” or as many say, “that
c-word,” enters your vocabulary, priorities change. We declared war on our
adversary. We were blessed to have good insurance, wonderful doctors, and a
great God. Not everyone’s experience has such a happy ending. I don’t know why
Judy was set free from cancer while others are not. That’s a mystery for all
ages. I just don’t want to take Judy’s healing for granted, as I am prone to do
with many of God’s blessings.
So today I count our many blessings and
give thanks to God for my wife and our prospects of years to come.
