Pink Optimism
by JAK’s guest mom blogger from Racine, Hope Bosak
Last week I bought a cozy, fleecy, pinky, jacket for my soon to be five year old daughter. It had a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon adorning the front. Now it wasn't cheap, and I don't have money to burn, but after what we've been through, I felt this jacket was made for her. What other four year old is so observant of that pink ribbon, that she would proudly wear it on her jacket? Her face beamed when I surprised her with it!
Anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer will tell you; when you hear those words” Yes, you do have cancer”, your life is immediately, and forever, changed. You adapt to your NEW NORMAL, as it is currently unfolding, and you pause for deep, personal, reflection. Sometimes you think that you’ve always been thankful for your blessings, but this is deeper than that. You realize everyday of life is a gift, and maybe you took that for granted. Uncertainty of life on earth helps you to focus on living your life with more purposeful intention, until the day when you enter into the promise of eternity. You may begin to feel that you want your life here on earth to make a difference. You learn to trust your instincts, celebrate life, do the things you were created to do, tell the people you love that you love them, and wake up each morning looking for ways to bless other people.
I am so grateful, thankful, and in awe of the cancer specialists who were/are there to walk through this journey with myself and my family. I can’t imagine desiring to do that for a living, no matter how much money was involved. The care and compassion coming from those people, everyday, is truly awesome. Each doctor, nurse, support staff, surgeon, radiology staff, chemotherapy staff, physical therapy /rehab etc. is AMAZING! I’ve had many new experiences, learned a lot, made lots of new friends, prayed for a lot of people, been on a healing retreat, and been there to help others who faced the news after me. I am older, wiser, and hopefully a better listener, more compassionate, and more thankful for everyday of living, especially on the days we feel healthy. I’ve learned that God’s ways are higher than my ways, and there were many people whose lives I was intersected with, whom I would not have met through any other circumstances. I praise God that He cares about me, and knows better than me, about what’s truly important in leaving our world a better place for us having lived in it.
I know this may sound strange to some, but I’m actually honored to have been allowed to go through this type of deep, introspective, personal battle.
Sometimes life is just so busy……that we just don’t stop…. to think about the big questions in life. Why am I here, and what is my purpose? So, I’ll close with this: What if you, personally, were diagnosed with cancer tomorrow? What would you do differently than you’re currently doing? What is stopping you from doing that now? Take the time to stop, and think about the big questions in life. Then, you can share your values with your most important assets, your children.
Visit the Just Add Kids website:
by JAK’s guest mom blogger from Racine, Hope Bosak
Last week I bought a cozy, fleecy, pinky, jacket for my soon to be five year old daughter. It had a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon adorning the front. Now it wasn't cheap, and I don't have money to burn, but after what we've been through, I felt this jacket was made for her. What other four year old is so observant of that pink ribbon, that she would proudly wear it on her jacket? Her face beamed when I surprised her with it!
One and a half years ago (April Fools Day, 2010), I was shockingly diagnosed with Stage 2 ,Grade 3 Breast Cancer Read More.... As a wife, mother of a ten and a three year old, and a licensed In-Home Family Child Care Provider for the past 15 years, this was not part of our plan.
Anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer will tell you; when you hear those words” Yes, you do have cancer”, your life is immediately, and forever, changed. You adapt to your NEW NORMAL, as it is currently unfolding, and you pause for deep, personal, reflection. Sometimes you think that you’ve always been thankful for your blessings, but this is deeper than that. You realize everyday of life is a gift, and maybe you took that for granted. Uncertainty of life on earth helps you to focus on living your life with more purposeful intention, until the day when you enter into the promise of eternity. You may begin to feel that you want your life here on earth to make a difference. You learn to trust your instincts, celebrate life, do the things you were created to do, tell the people you love that you love them, and wake up each morning looking for ways to bless other people.
I am so grateful, thankful, and in awe of the cancer specialists who were/are there to walk through this journey with myself and my family. I can’t imagine desiring to do that for a living, no matter how much money was involved. The care and compassion coming from those people, everyday, is truly awesome. Each doctor, nurse, support staff, surgeon, radiology staff, chemotherapy staff, physical therapy /rehab etc. is AMAZING! I’ve had many new experiences, learned a lot, made lots of new friends, prayed for a lot of people, been on a healing retreat, and been there to help others who faced the news after me. I am older, wiser, and hopefully a better listener, more compassionate, and more thankful for everyday of living, especially on the days we feel healthy. I’ve learned that God’s ways are higher than my ways, and there were many people whose lives I was intersected with, whom I would not have met through any other circumstances. I praise God that He cares about me, and knows better than me, about what’s truly important in leaving our world a better place for us having lived in it.
I know this may sound strange to some, but I’m actually honored to have been allowed to go through this type of deep, introspective, personal battle.
Sometimes life is just so busy……that we just don’t stop…. to think about the big questions in life. Why am I here, and what is my purpose? So, I’ll close with this: What if you, personally, were diagnosed with cancer tomorrow? What would you do differently than you’re currently doing? What is stopping you from doing that now? Take the time to stop, and think about the big questions in life. Then, you can share your values with your most important assets, your children.
Visit the Just Add Kids website:
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