“But remember, boy, that a kind act can sometimes be as powerful as a sword.” ― Rick Riordan, The Battle of the Labyrinth

“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”
― Henry James

In the last three weeks, I have seen and experienced more than I care to. I had two family members who were terminally ill and died within 2 weeks of each other. The most difficult, however, was a 52-year-old family friend who passed away from cancer. The difficulty with this was in the fact that no one knew she was sick except immediate family and very few close friends who were sworn not to reveal. She had been Stage 4 from the beginning, yet chose to tell almost no one. We saw her weekly at church and around town, but had no idea other than her wig, which really just looked like a new haircut.

Everyone is walking their own road and is fighting their own battle. Know that things are deeper than they seem. No matter who it is or what it looks like, you have no idea what someone is dealing with. Tread lightly and compassionately, and those who need it will thank you for it. I promise.

Bill Hemmer: "You said cancer changes your life, and oftentimes for the better."
Joel Siegel: "Yes.... Gilda Radner... said this in her book. What cancer does is, it forces you to focus, to prioritize, and you learn what's important. I mean, I don't sweat the small stuff. I used to get angry at cab drivers. It's not worth it.... And when somebody says you have cancer, you realize it's all small stuff. And what Gilda said is, if it weren't for the downside, everyone would want to have it. But there is a downside."
~American Morning, CNN, 13 June 2003