Hope and Redemption
My girlfriend Helene is very brave. She is dating a man with cancer. She questioned her motives this week. Wondered why she would put herself through this-again. Helene's husband died of cancer--after 18 grueling years of pain, and pity and putdowns. The cancer changed him, changed her and changed their life as a couple. He was hard on himself and hard on her. But she surrendered her needs to his...because she loved him. Plain and simple. Helene says she really likes this man. He's kind to her, appreciates her and is grateful for her companionship. In return, he makes her smile, makes her laugh and respects her feelings. She says maybe this is her calling--to take care of people with cancer...to carress them with love...to let them know -that they are important to someone...to give them hope and the healing that comes with knowing that their life-lived well, is a gift, to themselves and to others. I think she's right. We celebrated his recovery the other evening -at dinner....