Just before Christmas, the death of my mum’s friend from cancer really shook us around a bit. To be so young, so healthy, and to be told you wouldn’t see Christmas when Christmas was only 5 months away… how can anyone accept that? How can a family accept that? There was not one dry eye at the church for the funeral. The minister told her whole life story as written by her husband and three children. We laughed, we were shocked and we cried. Her children – 21, 19 & 16 and her husband slept in the lounge room by her side when they knew it was coming to the end… they said their good-byes, put on her favourite music and held her hands and feet…
The last time I saw Helen was her daughter’s 21st birthday in November. She was good that day. It was also the last day she was able to eat. The tumors which had spread to her stomache didn’t allow her to even eat a mouthful of food without being sick after it. She passed away weighing 29kgs.
Why am I writing all these sad details??
Because she's taught me something. Although her illness was terminal, she never gave up. She researched and did everything she could to give herself the best chance. She used the quote “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and Just Count Your Blessings” all the time. Any crises that I thought was the end of the world was nothing compared to what her and her family were going through. Helen couldn’t even eat, and here I am whinging about losing some fat, or complaining how gross this or that food was, or on the other hand, complaining about eating too much.
In memory of Helen, at the funeral service we were all given bookmarks with her picture and her quote. I use it and see it every time I open up my book and it makes me grateful! I hope many others at the funeral took something positive away as well.
“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and Just Count Your Blessings”.
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