“There comes a time when you have to declare your victory even though you may be losing the fight.” Richard grabbed my attention! I’d never thought of it that way or said it even close to that way. Yet I’d thought along the same lines in the midst of several “fight for my life” moments during three very serious challenges with cancer and a daunting medical complication that caused me to have to have emergency surgery late one night.
In such times, it is not just about strength. It is about faith. Faith in yourself, faith in others, perhaps faith in a higher being or power. Yes I’d pushed and fought while fighting my cancer. However I’d never said it so directly. I was going to win my battles with cancer. I had cancer. The cancer did NOT have me. First Battle Won! That’s how I would win emotionally: I have cancer it does NOT have me.
Oh don’t get me wrong I cried big sobbing earth shattering sobbing tears. Down on my knees pounding the tiles in the shower room. However, it was not all about Positive Mental Attitude. It was about feeling the pain. Feeling and acknowledging it ,then building a team to help me fight back!! In thought, word, and deed. In pray and play. In music and in praise. In family and friendships! Victory was declared. Yes, I was quite ill. Death walked the hallways and hovered in the door way. Yet I learned at an early age that inner-strength with faith and a team that walks beside you, makes for a very powerful combination. So I declared Victory every morning as I woke up and every evening as I lay my head on the pillow. Yes I had cancer. Yes I might die. However I was winning intellectually, emotionally and spiritually! Amen! Oh and 20+ years later it’s safe to say I won physically.
When will you declare victory? Over what?
I owe a big thank you to my friend Richard Paa Kofi Botchwey for causing this blog to fire off in my brain with this quote of his. Richard is a writer and rising star on the literary scene in Africa. However increasingly I’m reading and hearing about him in Europe. I look forward to learning from him and cheering him on. One day we’ll have to have a face to face. Coffee or tea… Hmmm I wonder what he’ll chose.
So until next time Imagine Yourself with more Resiliency for life!
