“There are things I can’t force. I must adjust. There are times when the greatest change needed is a change of my viewpoint.” – Denis Diderot
You know I’m all about changing your point of view when faced with difficulties. It is really a miraculous ability to have and one I have worked on my whole life. When recently I had a unpleasant thing said to me by a friend, instead of getting angry I looked inward, “Why was I ALLOWING it to have any impact on me?” That remained my focus as I sorted through my “feeling bad”. It is not an easy thing to do, I admit. Most of us can be upset, and rightly so, about things that we feel are done to us or said to us that are not true or not appropriate. Having generosity of understanding and forgiveness for the failings of another is indeed a GIFT. I didn’t get it as a gift so I have had to work on it and I’m happy to say, I have gotten pretty good at it. It is a liberating experience and one I highly recommend.
Such is the case with Pat Williams, a rather famous sports guy (Sr VP with Orlando’s NBA team), father of many children and grandfather, who has been diagnosed with MM. He is exhibiting a point of view about his new found plight with grace and courage.
From the outside his motto has been:
Remission is the Mission
While I never wish this disease on anyone, or cancer, it does not go unnoticed that when someone with some notoriety gets cancer, or “our cancer”, it brings it to the public in a way that I find inspirational and helpful. Such is the case here. One can hope that when someone of this level of accomplishment and therefore public platform, can help bring it to the attention of the public on a broader scale. Personally they have two simple choices: Disappear in their misery and fear of their diagnosis OR get out in front, in the public, and make it known and use their influence to inspire and help others. The latter is the choice Mr. Williams has made and in that alone, without knowing anything much else about him, I applaud him and wish him well! (Hat Tip to David over at workingwithme)
Thank you for sharing Lori. Yes, remission is the mission….a long sustained remission.
Hope all is well in Cal
Doug