My Ruler

Today, I looked through my posts from the past year. I noticed that I seem to write a lot about my ongoing cancer conundrum. That's a bummer - I suppose writing about something helps me process it to some degree. But, I really don't think or talk about it much - except for the few days out of the month when I'm on my back after chemo. In fact, I just realized that yesterday afternoon, while I was painting a chair, I had missed a lab appointment....oops.

I haven't always had this attitude, and depending on what my doctors tell me occasionally, I still may think of it more than I admit. But when I do, something my sister said a few months back always comes to mind. She said we should think of life as a ruler. And, looking at my ruler, cancer is just a marking among many that make up my life. Does it make a lasting mark? Yes.... but it does not define me.

I really liked the metaphor that she used, and so I try to apply it to every situation in life. Whatever accomplishments, mistakes, experiences and relationships we have, are simply marks on our ruler - the measurement of life that help define us as a whole. But they are simply marks.....we define ourselves.

I think that is pretty powerful. My hope is that my ruler gets stronger and straighter as I go along.