Marching on with Health and Hope

March is colorectal cancer awareness month and as a stage 4b patient who is 2 years into this thing (and doing well, by the grace of God), I'm here to make you aware that I was fully unaware of the cancer growing throughout my body for probably many years leading up to my diagnosis. I did not ignore symptoms. My doctor did not ignore me. And I’m still too young for a routine colonoscopy. Yet here I am.

We still don’t know why this happened. I only know that all types of things happen to all types of people and I am no exception. That’s why I continue to prepare my heart and mind for inevitable challenges as well as inevitable joy. As these cold winter days drag on, I lean on this lesson: life is fleeting; celebrate small wins.

Lent (the 40 solemn days leading up to Easter) resonates for me these days, and it begins Wednesday. It means more people are joining me in this serious thinking about life and death. And it means new life is coming, on Easter. As this season of reflection begins, I’ll be praying for these answers: What does it mean to be a human on earth? What happens after? Why?

A meal with friends

Puddles after school

My weekly train to NYC

My go-to prayer