My favorite Christmas specials – “Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer”, “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!”, “A Christmas Carol” (TV version,
with Star Trek’s Patrick Stewart), and “Joyeux Noel” (a WWI film my daughter
introduced us to several years ago) – all contain wonderful, quotable moments.
Today the one I can hear repeatedly in my mind is, “Herbie
doesn’t like to make toys!” This announcement is greeted by the elves of the
North Pole with derision and eventual rejection. The reason I’m listening to it
today is that the First Christmas after my wife’s breast cancer diagnosis was a
huge challenge to us. When the diagnosis happened in March along with the
double mastectomy then chemo over the summer, the following Christmas
was…strange, to say the least. You can even tell how strange that first
Christmas was because I didn’t mention a single thing about Christmas – it was
all talk about lung cancer.
Whew. Talk about avoidance!
I write this morning from a place of profound hope and
thankfulness. I didn’t even mention Christmas in this blog until the third time
around in 2013. This Christmas, with my son, his wife and our two grandchildren
in our house; my daughter and her boyfriend; my foster daughter; and my
daughter-in-law’s mother…we will celebrate a tradition that we deliberately
started 21 years ago: the cutting of the Christmas tree at a tree farm many
miles north of her. In many way, the cutting of the tree brings to MY mind my
thought process regarding breast cancer…
OK – so this is NOT linear!
The bit from “Rudolph”? During those first Christmases
post-cancer-diagnosis and treatment, I only WISHED our problems were that
trivial. On further reflection though, what appears trivial now, was not
trivial then. My prayer for those experiencing breast cancer for their first
Christmas, is that they have the strength they need and the joy that they
desire.
The fact that I can even write this with a thankful heart
show that I have both grown and hoped for the past four years. I pray for all
of those who are experiencing their first “cancer Christmas” the gift of hope
and the peace this season CAN bring. I pray they will rest in hope.
Last of all – I pray they all experience the thankfulness
for both life and family, in whatever form their family takes.
It is with a peaceful, joyful, and thankful heart that my
wife is alive and healthy this FOURTH Christmas after the diagnosis. I pray for
all of us men with beloved women who have, had, or will have, a breast cancer
diagnosis...
No comments:
Post a Comment