Wow, I am humbled.
I put my "stay positive" thread together to remind folks that a negative mindset will reap negative results and conversely a positive mindset will help conquer trial and tribulation... It did for me and it's something that I carry with me all the time. So if bring a life experience to the table here that inspires even just one person to look at trying to find a better way to deal with things in a positive light, well then I'll call it mission accomplished.
When I arrived at HW, I was a recently diagnosed man at the age of 44 with a 39yo wife and we had recently lost a baby, I had to resign a job I had been at for 16 years to release stress, my wife and I eventually lost our home to the recession and housing crisis, and I had to fight an advanced case of this disease. In addition I was on hormonal therapy and soon after starting it my mother was diagnosed with cancer and died after a short battle.
All these things can certain bring a man down to depression but I wasn't going to let that happen. I guess it's in part of my positive way of living, in part because as an ecclesial lay minister I have a bigger set of responsibilities and goals, and in part because I despise depression, I've seen it destroy peoples lives...
I find peace in a balance of Faith, Love and Hope. It was a foundation that was already constructed in my life and when I looked at the bigger picture, I truly envisioned that I was in a better place than many of my new friends and one in particular ~ David Emerson. I met him soon after my Dx and I learned what a beautiful and positive man he was even though he had a terminal illness and was progressing to his eventual loss of his battle last October to prostate cancer. Even within weeks of his passing we were sharing playlists of music we loved growing up. David was just a few months younger than me but he never acted as if he was cheated in life. He was on the air with the famed broadcaster/comedian Dennis Miller when he said something that just floored Miller. He had described his journey with terminal cancer to Miller and Miller asked him "What fills up your mind on a day to day basis" . Here was David's reply (not verbatim):
"Well you gotta just suck it up. I put my pants on in the morning and I and get out there and live...and love my 13yo son".
After David spoke I remember Miller saying ~ "...I'm amazed at your cahuna's..." He also spoke of David's courage.
You can hear the whole interview here...
www.flhw.org/in-the-press.html It's in the middle of this page "David on the Dennis Miller Show"...Miller got it right. And it just choked me up a bit listening to David's voice again.
How can I not stay positive when I hear David's voice in that sound bite...
So my inspirational quote for ya EAGLEKeeper is...
Ya just gotta suck it up, put your pants on, and get on with your life...
Tony