Thoughts as we enter October

I can't believe that it is October already. October is a special month for me. It is my birthday month and also my cancer survival birthday month. I celebrate these two special days three days apart. It will be two years of survival. Each day is a gift from God. That is truly the lesson to be learned as one battles cancer. Focus on doing one's best each day because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Telling your loved ones that you care as often as possible and letting go of petty annoyances.

I returned to teaching in late August. I have a big class this year: over 30 students! It is amazing how adding 5 or 6 bodies to a classroom makes it feel so much more crowded. It has been harder for me to learn my students names. I blame it on the size of the class but it may also be that I'm having more senior moments. They are a good group of students; they participate in class discussions and demonstrate that they have done the reading before they come to class. It makes it a better experience for all of us.

The Power of Pink Project is going along well. The backroom of Stamp Your Heart Out is overflowing with pink scarves and there are more coming. We will be collecting for two more weeks. I don't know if we will make our goal of 1000 but I'm estimating that we have over 500 now. We are getting some very cool donations for the silent auction. Cheryl, a woman that I work with, is making two stain glass pieces with the pink ribbon. She showed me one in progress and it is beautiful! My friend Marylinn Kelly donated the artwork at the top of the blog. I had it made into magnets. We will be tucking a magnet into each bag with the scarves and give one to our knitters and crocheters. I love this artwork. The woman says to me that she is on the journey of breast cancer but she is at peace with herself. One has to feel positive in order to fight cancer.

I found a great poem on cancer that I want to share:

What cancer cannot do:
corrode faith
shatter hope
destroy peace
silence courage
invade the soul
steal eternal life
conquer the spirit
cripple love
kill friendship
suppress memories

I am wearing a bracelet that has this poem to help me remember. I have had cancer, but cancer does not have me.

Play it forward,