It seems as thought I’m at a peak right now, as days 8 and 9 have been 2 of the best days I can recall having in a very very long time. Just when you thought it would be impossible to beat jumping out of a plane at 18,000′, I found myself in Santa Barbara and the San Ynez Valley having another amazing day on the 29 Days Until 29 Journey.
I find myself at an interesting crossroads with the blog entries that I am writing. I love telling the stories about the people that I’m meeting. I try to profile 1 story a day, but I’m hearing many many more. There are certainly consistent themes, but each is unique. On the other hand, I have yet to chronicle the effect that the 1st 9 days of this journey has had on me and I’m struggling to figure out what the best way is to present everything to you, the amazing 29 Days team!
I’m open to ideas and feedback, so please let me know by leaving a comment! I want for all of you to get something out of this trip as well, as it wouldn’t be possible without your help. I heard 3 incredibly cancer connection stories today, but I want to call specific attention to Jesse’s story.
Jesse is no longer with us here on earth – she passed away a few years ago at the age of 8. Her story was told to me today by Jan, who I met at the Evan’s Ranch tasting room in Los Olivos, CA. Jesse had a type of bone cancer (Jan couldn’t recall the name) that resulted in tumors growing out of Jesse’s bones. She was diagnosed at age 5 and, at the time, was 1 of 3 children in the country with that type of cancer. Jesse was only supposed to live for another 6 months. She defied the odds. She went into remission TWICE and survived longer than any other child had survived with that type of cancer.
Just listening to Jan talk about Jesse I could see what an impact Jesse had made in Jan’s life. I asked how it was possible that an 8 year old who passed away a few years ago could make such a large impact and Jan told me it was because of Jesse’s spirit. She wouldn’t let the cancer win. She wouldn’t allow herself to be different. When she lost her hair due to the chemo she refused to wear a wig. Instead she had pictures painted on her head so that others could smile when they saw them. She was always smiling! She knew that she was dying, she knew the odds were against her, but she didn’t care. She wanted to be a kid. She lived the life of a kid all the way down to getting scolded for doing things that kids do!
As I was listening to Jan talk about Jesse I couldn’t help but smile. I also couldn’t help but wonder… how would I react if I found out that I had cancer? I’d like to think that I’d be positive, that I’d make the most of it, that I wouldn’t get sad and depressed and let the cancer take my life before it took my body. But I’m not sure… How would you react?
I hope that I never have to find out, but the statistics say that there’s a good chance you or I will at some point in our lives. Which leads me back to the whole part of what effect this trip has had on me. In meeting these people, in hearing their stories, and in interacting with them, I feel as though I’ve learned a lot about life. Not what it is, but what it isn’t. It isn’t forever. It isn’t to be wasted. It isn’t to be spent chasing something. That’s not to say we shouldn’t plan for things or set goals for the future, etc… It’s just to say that after you read this post take a breathe and enjoy the air.
Chan sent me over. Such a touching story and you told it well.
None of us knows how we’d react. I know how I’d LIKE to react, but whether that will be the case or not, who knows? I’ve lost a parent and dear friends to cancer. My sister in law is dying as I write this of brain cancer. She chose NOT to have chemo and spend her final days in her home. She is amazingly cheerful, but who knows what she feels when she’s alone?
Such a terrible tragedy cancer is; and we’ve all been touched by it.