Savour The Now
I have a love/ hate relationship with Facebook and social media in general – there’s such utter dross on there much of the time, stuff that bears little or no relationship to the truth, huge mountains out of tiny molehills, people being nasty generally but also in a way they would never be to someone’s face
.
But you don’t need me to tell you that.
However, there is the other side. The hilarious anecdotes, not least the satirical ones and the memes that do the rounds (some people are SO clever). Some people are simply really kind and generous, exuding good old fashioned, wholesome niceness and fun.
It’s for these people that I stick around. And when something like this pops up on my feed, then I’m very glad I do.
This letter went viral seven years ago, clearly passing me by back then. It’s heart-rending to think that in a kinder life its scribe, Holly Butcher, would be 34 now. But she didn’t get that much time; she died at 27 from one of the rarest forms of cancer. The note is incredibly profound and it’s humbling that Holly could write such wisdom in her twenties. It’s bitter/sweet that her illness probably helped her know this, or at least reenforced it.
Click here for the full letter
My cancer experience started in December 2013. It re-emerged in spring 2017 as secondary cancer, only for the decision to be revised to ‘not secondary cancer’ three years later. I don’t talk much about the reversed diagnosis. It does happen, I am not the first, but it is incredibly rare. Although I know I am the luckiest girl alive, I never want to spread false hope. It took me a while, but I eventually wrote about this on my blog which preceded Nice News.
During my initial diagnosis at 45 and the second one at 48, I remember being keenly aware and grateful that, thank goodness, I had my family, my adorable husband and children, before it hit. I didn’t want to leave them, but oh, I was so glad they were in my world.
27 years old has its own 'extra' tragedy.
After the things we can do to help our chances of not getting cancer, most of the time its next victim is random. Savour the now, I say, because none of us know how long we will be here.
To remind me of this, I have these little ditties pinned above my pc which is the place I stress out the most. They’d become hidden so I’ve just moved them back into view.
- Life's a journey, travel it well (Many thanks to the titles of the 90s BRILLIANT, 'Cold Feet' for this 😊)
- Time enjoyed is never wasted (I’m not sure who said that!)
- To love and be loved is all we need. The rest is extra. (Oprah Winfrey) or, as I like to say: The rest is fluff and noise.
Do you have any favourite life quotes? Please do share!
I do hope those close to Holly Butcher are doing OK. To my friends who are dealing with this heinous disease right now and with such great courage – and humour (you know who you are) – you never fail to inspire. To the rest of us, we can do this! Despite all the rubbish, and I mean the horror all around, I feel it’s only right we endeavour to Savour The Now! Are you with me?!?
my husband and I are lucky enough to have been able to retire a little early. We've sacrificed a few years of earning for sure, but we know we have enough to live our rich life, which is visiting our children and grandchildren often as well as trying out new things, for fun not finances. I know we're are really, really privileged to have been able to do this but it would've been so easy to stay doing the norm and work until the last moment, it took a mind shift to step away and we're just so glad we did.
Seconded, Jackie. One of the reasons I retreated from the city job and started writing was because I wanted to be around for my daughter more. She'll only ever grow up once...