September 04, 2008

Life

My friend C gave me a card for my mets-iversary that featured a quote from Joseph Campbell:

"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us."

I certainly have had to toss out my hopes and plans for the life I thought I'd lead. Health -- bye bye. Career -- over. Parenthood -- not a chance.

In their place, in the life that was waiting for me, I've discovered some positives and some negatives: Time to do things I love. A "Velcro" dog who sticks to me like, well, Velcro. Pain. And more knowledge and experience of the world of medicine than I ever wanted.

Do they balance out? Not really. But this is the life I ended up with, and I aim to live it to the fullest each day.

Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) was a prolific American author, editor, philosopher and teacher. You can read more about him at the Joseph Campbell Foundation's website.
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4 comments:

  1. Ryan Armbrust9:27 AM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Pseudo10:01 AM

    Found your site in an early morning surf session. Great site and post.

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  3. Mrs. V4:51 AM

    Hello, Jill, I also wanted to e-mail you but you don't have it listed. I wanted to ask you why don't you add salt to a Kosher chicken? My neighbor is 36 and just diagnosed with cancer and I don't know what to say to her. No one wants to talk about death but I am a realist and I think it is good to talk everything out so you can plan your life better. It makes me feel like I always say the wrong things but I believe in the afterlife, somewhere we will ALL go to so why can't we talk about it when it is up close and personal?
    Thanks for the blog, I have put you in my Favorites to view you in the future.
    thanks for your reply.

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  4. Jill9:01 AM

    Hi all,

    My blog was intended primarily for family and friends, that's why I don't publish my email address. But I am glad you found me and that you wrote!

    To answer Mrs. V: The reason you don't add salt to a kosher chicken is because under kosher laws, meat is salted to remove the blood. This part goes back to the Bible. Here's a quote from a good web site, http://myjewishlearning.com/daily_life/Kashrut/Overview_Kosher_Food/Kosher_Meat.htm:

    "The strict prohibition of blood in the Bible (Leviticus 7:26-27; 17:10-14) is the basis for the laws governing the preparation of the meat of animals and birds for food. The usual practice is first to soak the meat in cold water for half an hour and then to salt it thoroughly and leave it covered in salt on a draining-board so that as much as possible of the blood is drained off. An alternative method is to roast the meat over a naked flame. In many commu nities, nowadays, the butcher attends to this process, relieving his customers from having to do it themselves. The blood of fishes is permitted so there is no process of "salting" for fish."

    As far as talking with someone who was just diagnosed with cancer, a diagnosis is not an immediate death sentence, as I have learned over the past six years! A recently diagnosed person needs to know that family and friends (and neighbors) will support them with meals, rides to the doctor, a shoulder to cry on.

    I never want unsolicited advice, even if well-meant, on how to better treat my cancer, or what I should be doing to deal with it. But loving support, a bowl of chicken soup, and a listening ear when I feel like talking make me feel cherished.

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