take advantage of life

I am doing a project this week on breast cancer and the support that is avaliable for women.

I went to a cancer support group today to see what goes on and what's on offer for patients.

Speaking with all these people, some of them just months from their death, really prompted me to think.

I was talking to one lady who had such a sad story. She is in her mid-60s, was telling me that 30 years ago her 16 year old son died of cancer.

Two years later her 24 year old daughter was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and died, leaving 2 children under the age of 3.

Six months later she herself was diagnosed with breast cancer too which was treated.

One year later her other son 'got ill' (she didnt specify) and also passed away.

At about the same time her Aunt died, and so did her husband's brother.

She said that in the space of 5 years she had lost 3 children and 2 close relatives and got cancer herself.

How unbelievably awful.

~

The more medicine I do the more I realise how precious and fragile life is, and the more I realise how important it is to take advantage of each moment we have with those we love.

We only have our loved one for a finite amount of time, why do we so often waste that time and ruin relationships with so many petty arguments and problems?

Because once a day is over it is lost forever, and the number of days we have are numbered.

I know that so very often the unhappiness that I experience in relationships, especially with close family members, can be attributed somewhere along the line to a fault with my actions or words. The situation is the way it is because, in my selfishess of not wanting to 'lose the argument', I have added fuel to the fire.

and it's just not worth it.


It makes me think and motivates me to try and be loving and happy, more patient and joyfilled and less petty and selfish.

Why waste limited time?

I should ensure that my every choice is done out of love for Christ and in imitation of Him, rather than out of a selfish self-centreness.

I should pray more to the Holy Spirit for these graces.