“I met a tiny frail nun once, in Australia, while walking along a harbor, and we got to talking, and she said no one defeats cancer, cancer is a dance partner you don’t want and don’t like, but you have to dance… I never forgot what she said, and think she is right, and the words we use about cancer and wars matter more than we know.
“Maybe if we celebrate grace under duress rather than the illusion of totally victory we will be less surprised and more prepared when illness and evil lurch into our lives, as they always will; and maybe we will be a braver and better people if we know we cannot obliterate such things, but only wield oceans of humor and patience and creativity against them.”***
We are all, now, dancing with a partner we don’t want and don’t like, but we have to dance. Be mindful of your inner voice. You deserve grace and patience. It will take some practice.
Jess Stevens, curating mindfulness for Isabella
***Excerpts from Brian Doyle’s essay “On Not ‘Beating’ Cancer”