"Bless the Space Between Us"....   |   Thursday, October 14, 2010




Carolyn T. read the Lansing State Journal article about this project and immediately took off her wig! Even before being photographed!! She said she was afraid and fearful about doing it, but the response was very positive! She's kept her positive attitude from the minute she was diagnosed with Stage 2, Lobular Breast Cancer. Being her own advocate, she demanded an ultrasound after the initial diagnosis was negative... but she was correct. I've learned that lobular cancers aren't easy to detect and feel much like 'fibrous' breasts, with generic thicknesses. ONLY the ultrasound was able to pick it up! She was proactive and it helped with very early detection!
Carolyn is full of courage... and relied on a book by John O'Donohue called, "Bless the Space Between Us." and a particular poem she read with each chemo treatment. It meant everything to her.... even when she felt her worst, this poem and her adopted dog, Shatzi, got her out of bed each day. She never missed a day walking Shatzi. Between this faithful dog and her faithful family, she always had someone at her side during her treatment, with one of her 3 grown children or her sister always accompanying her to chemo.
This is the poem that meant so much to her.... maybe it will speak to you as well. It offered her courage.

For Courage

When the light around you lessens
And your thoughts darken until
Your body feels fear turn
Cold as a stone inside,

When you find yourself bereft
Of any belief in yourself
And all you unknowingly
Leaned on has fallen,

When one voice commands
Your whole heart,
And it is raven dark,

Steady yourself and see
That it is your own thinking
That darkens your world,

Search and you will find
A diamond-thought of light,

Know that you are not alone
And that this darkness has purpose;
Gradually it will school your eyes
To find the one gift your life requires
Hidden within this night-corner.

Invoke the learning
Of every suffering
You have suffered.

Close your eyes.
Gather all the kindling
About your heart
To create one spark.
That is all you need
To nourish the flame
That will cleanse the dark
Of its weight of festered fear.

A new confidence will come alive
To urge you toward higher ground
Where your imagination
Will learn to engage difficulty
As its most rewarding threshold!

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1 Comments :

Anonymous Pat H said...

Thank you for the poem. It mean a lot to me.

October 14, 2010 at 8:45 PM  

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