Saturday, December 07, 2013

Life After Peace Corps - Cancer is not a Death Sentence



Power of Positive Thinking

“Nature” from PBS reveals that it is a common behavior for an injured animal to hide.  Only if it recovers, it will emerge from its hiding place.  Not even its family members will disturb that injured animal.  

News arrives from NY that one of my hiking friends just passed away due to cancer.  Last time I saw her, she was energetic, healthy and an attractive young lady.  Her death came as a huge surprise to me and to most of my friends.  For two years, hardly anyone knew about her struggling with the disease.  She made her family keep her illness as a secret.  She went through the battle on her own term.  Like the injured animal, she chose to hide.  I respect her decision, but I think her choice may not be a wise one.  

I wish she shared her secret with me. I would have talked to her, encouraged her not to give up.  Cancer is not a death sentence.  I have known people survived from the disease.  Most of them stay optimistic.  They do not give up hope.  They talk about their illness openly; they seek help proactively, not just from the medical advice, but from their friends and family’s emotional support!  They cope with their illness with openness and positive thinking. They understand they have absolutely nothing to lose, but everything to gain by remaining positive. Chances are, they may pull through their ailment and create their own miracle. 

Our brain is a powerful thing.  Unfortunately some of us do not put too much trust into it.  Our brain can send message to our body, to tell our body to behavior, and our body will heal.  Our brain’s sole existence is to keep us alive.  Only if we do not give up, our brain will not do so, and our body will continue to be controlled by our brain.  You must have faith in your brain!

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