This I Believe

I believe in the power of change when dealing with tragedy. The first time I came in touch with this belief was March of 1998, when I got the news that my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I was only nine at the time, and getting this news broke my heart. The next few months were miserable. My mom was in and out of the hospital; total she went through three different surgeries. With each return home I hoped she was cured. After her worst surgery I received news that she was in fact finally free of the cancer.

I still haven’t healed from that tragedy. That fear still haunts me every time the phone rings, because breast cancer has a 10% to 30% chance of relapse. I just pray each day that she wont become another number. I saw my mother at her weakest and most deathly point and I realized I haven’t showed her how much I loved her and appreciated her. I was so close to never having another chance to tell her this. I always took my mother for granted and expected her to always be there. One day I was slapped in the face with the realization that any day she could be taken from me, because I really did almost lose my mother-my rock.

Before my mother got sick I couldn’t get over my own ego to admit I was wrong. I was always walking around with a chip on my shoulder if I didn’t get my way about something. Now I try to see where she’s coming from on things because I know that she just wants the best for me and I love her with everything I have.

In my opinion, there are certain lessons you don’t learn until you have had to deal with tragedy. When people have to deal with hard situations such as a tragedy, in my opinion, it either makes or breaks them. I know it broke me. But in turn I found the strength within myself to pickup my broken self and change my outlook on life. I am much stronger and more appreciative towards everything that I am blessed with that I would otherwise take for granted if it weren’t for my mother’s sickness.