Mending Fences

 I have an sister in-law named "Karen" that is also battling Cancer, the miltary brought her son back here to be with her from Europe, he's married with triplets mind you...married an teacher from Peru when he was stationed down near the Panama Canal years ago, now he's not to far away from her...my newest neighbor reads Cancer testings where she works at Providence Hospital also. I've lost about three uncles due to Cancer already...and one good friend.  All of them were very heavy smokers, no tmy firend though and they started at an early age...most of them 3 pack a day...but those were the "depression" days, when things were not like they are now..and medically they come up with some new stuff all the time. Especially with the cell stem research going on.  Maybe there's an miracle and an cure awaitng for you yet!  One never knows some days. I don't know if they have put an date on our "Karen's" days as yet, I know we were told that it has spread through her body now after two breast removals. Perhaps one of them will send us an Christmas card and tell us what the family back in Missouri are up to these days. Well, my wish would be that "Cancer" is stopped in the world and an cure found. for everyone, both big and small, male and female....our dog'stumor removed recently also...and the bi-opsey turned out good on it. sounds silly to mention the dog, but she's been with me in the wee hours of the night through my heart  ordeal, always at my side, faithful and true. Husband they froze off his skin "spots" he had, though, he needs one of them done again an little better...but at least go tit taken care of finally. Health issues these days are something that consume an person's life any more in ways. It needs changed. Besto foluck to you Karen, may you win the battle much longer then they expect.

Dear Karen,

So sorry to hear about the cancer.  You will remain in my thoughts and prayers.  I've been blessed so far with good health and no experience yet with the big "C".   None of us is guaranteed safety from such things; it could happen to any of us, anytime.  My unsolicited advice:  Make peace with your brother as best you can, forgive anyone who needs forgiving (whether they are repentent or not) and seek forgiveness from God and anyone you know from whom you feel you may need it.  Sounds trite, perhaps, but I know personally how heavy the burden of guilt and anger and unforgiveness can be, and it is a very liberating feeling to be rid of it (even if one is not facing a situation such as yours).  Then, set out to live life every day as if it were your last as well as if you had thousands left to go.  Allow yourself to laugh.  If possible, do something you've always wanted to do but haven't done for whatever reason. All I can say to you is to savor every moment you have to the fullest, make them count.  And know that you are loved.

Shirley, I will keep your Karen in prayer too.

Don' t have Cancer but you know as I've said before I was recently 95 per cent dead when they put in the heart stent and opened my artery, but I've had at least two ned's (near-death expereincecs) in my life, and several "visions" and what I consider just plain communication with the "other side". It's like having one foot in one place and one foot here. The thing about forgiveness to others is that you never know if you have time to say it, and many times we spout off things that "deep down" we never really mean. I had an friend one time, whose mother in-law was an widow and she said that the morning her hubby was killed in an auto accident that they had an fight that morning and the last thing she said to him was "Oh, go drop dead will ya?"...talk about an guilt trip for her. She also was another one that said, never "part" with being angry. There is an old saying. and that is "we live to die"...and it matters not how we end up up going..an harsh truth to life it is. If not now..someday, always make this day your day to be and do your best....and one in happiness/contentment also. Death is not the "end" it is but another beginning. I can vouch for all that's said by those that have been in near death states, only I can say it from about 45 years back when books were never written on it, and stop and imagine an world of no pain, no hunger, no worry of time schedules, no feeling coldness or excessive heat, no tiredness, no anger, no worries about money, no "heaviness" of the body...instead an enveloping of clean pure truthful "love" that is you and an part of all...the prescence of quite patience, understanding, wisdom, seeing and perfection. You can see why many people don't want to come back. I think we "go back" because of our "ties" to loved ones myself. It is our selfness that keeps us earthbound..and it's right perhaps,  we do our best "action" while on earth, because we have the body to help us do things,create...the mouth to speak. so we should make the best of it while we do have it. Life is an living lesson, so that by the time we get to "God" we won't have to ask "why"...we will have expereinced it and know "why".  We can then be welcomed with open arms.I once asked an minister an question...who will get to heaven first, the person whom refuses to take on the burdens of others less fortunate, or the one whom carries their problems on his shoulder. He thought about it for an bit....and he said, I think the second, because while "God" tells us not to do this an that to be "Godly"..he gave his only son, whom took on the pains of everyone, cured them, to be an example of how we should be...died for our indescretions and hatred, and arose on the third day to prove to us that we too live beyond earthly death. Christ tells to be brave an "walk our cross" and burden to meet him somday in paradise, the bible says no one can go to the "father" but through the son first..and I can vouch, Jesus is alive!  I even see him from time to time here also, or an representative perhaps...of the "Brotherhood of Light" of Christ Conscious, I think they call it.  I'm reading another non-fiction book right now on "angels"...written by someone living here where I do area wise. These books are inpiring and uplifting to me, to remeber my encounters the the "other side". Search for the meaning of life in general in life's lessons.