Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Sometimes God really does smile at us


We've had a bit of a scare in my house the last couple of weeks.

The kind of scare I'm sure many other people in the class have gone through before; I'm not trying to make us sound unique. But no matter how many other people go through it, it's still tough to be in the middle of it.

Shortly after we returned from our trip to Virginia for the reunion, my lovely wife began showing some symptoms that might possibly have signaled a particularly virulent form of cancer. Nicole had one test, and all they were able to say from the first test was that they needed to have another test.

Now Nicole is the bravest person I know. She hasn't complained, or cried, or talked about what I should do after she's gone. She just faced the problem, head-on.

Today we had the second test, and when we got the results, I could feel the relief as a palpable thing. A minor irritation, no cancer at all.

Sometimes God really does smile at us, and sometimes we can feel the safety in which he holds us. My mother had a friend who was a poet and philosopher, and one piece of advice she gave changed my life for the better.

"Never ask, 'Why me, God?' Instead, it is much better to say to yourself, 'So this is what it feels like.'"

None of our problems are unique, but it's still nice when things turn out for the best.

3 comments:

Jone Pascoe said...

Mike, I am so glad to hear Nicole is okay. "Cancer" is one the scariest words I know. My mother had breast cancer when we were in high school. I've always thought it was out there waiting for me since it runs in families. So far I've been lucky. (Knock on wood!) Anyway I know you both must be feeling relief. Jonee

Anonymous said...

i had cancer of my cervix when i was age 25.
the doctor told me i must have a hysterectomy, or die.
the student doctor, i was dating, gave me until age 30 due to my heart murmur.
he he
i decided i wanted more kids and a better life.........
i HAD been depressed and not eating well; lots of crying.
i went into my imagination mode and tricked my body into believing i had the perfect life.
i also started eating red meat; i was bleeding alot.
the doctors did freeze my cervix; which meant later that i needed c-sections.

cancer is beatable.

it is the drunk driver that scares me silly !!!!!

luv, nan.

Dale Morgan said...

Thank God!!! You both must have been crazy with worry. I know these kind of scares make you rethink what is important in life. I have gone through those scares and, like Jone, just sort of breathed a sigh of relief. Every annual exam I feel like I got a year's reprieve.

Hug Nicole for me. I really liked her when I met her--very gentle person.