Life is Way More Awesome Than Hard

Some of you may know that I volunteer at the Cancer Clinic up here once a week. Nothing too intense, I just give back, foot or hand massages to the ladies (I've only worked on one or two gentlemen the whole time I've been here) while they're getting treatment. When I started I thought, "Ok, no big deal. This is something awesome that I get to do. I'm tough and it won't really affect me at all." Well, I've been doing it for a while and turns out it's affecting me in more ways than I thought it would. I have this incredible group of ladies that are here almost every week. It has been amazing to get to know them. They are some of the strongest women I've ever met! Today was a really fun day and a really touching day as well. I love walking in and all the gals are just so excited to see me (let's be honest, they're really just excited to see my hands ;) Today we had a little party. One gal brought in 7-layer dip and tortilla chips. Another brought in artichoke dip with some crackers. Then one brought some donuts in. It was all so tasty!! When I got done working on one of the sweetest little ladies ever, she said to look under the bench of her walker. She had a gift for me. It meant so much that she thought of me. I feel like I'm so blessed in my life and I need to take more time to think of others. This sweet woman took time from the treatments and the pain and nausea and taking care of her family to get something for me. What's going on in my life that I can't take the time to think of someone else and let them know how much I appreciate them? Not nearly as much as her, and yet she did it. My new goal is to think of others more often and SHOW them I'm thinking of them and that I appreciate them.

This has also been a very bitter sweet day. One woman isn't coming in anymore. She wants to spend the rest of the time she has left with family and without all the side effects of the chemo. I can't say I blame her at all. It's just really eye opening to see someone so content with mortality. She knows she doesn't have a lot of time left and she's ok with it. She knows there's something better waiting for her. She has such an amazing testimony and she's lead a great life and now she's ready to move on and continue on with the plan. I know I'm not there yet, but I hope one day I'll be as happy about this life and the next as she is.

I know this is a very random post, but it's been a random day. I hope we can all stop for a minute, look around us and realize how amazing life is and how blessed we all are