surviving cancer 101: lesson 1

44

Be content with what you have;
rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking,
the whole world belongs to you.

excerpted from Tao de Ching

1. the importance of a wonder dog

Find a wonder dog and give her a belly rub every day - any sort of wonder pet will do. They can work miracles, taking your mind off yourself, and letting you experience life with someone whom you love, yet doesn't know that you have cancer. They are able to look at you and love you without that tinge of sorrow.

My wonder dog is a rescue dog, and having come through quite a lot herself, she has magical properties. Though she looks a bit soulful here, she has developed over time an extraordinary capacity for joy - greeting every day, every walk, as an opportunity for a pouncing, sniffing, tail wagging extravaganza. She also follows me everywhere, content to just watch me when we're not moving. She is the most loyal being I've ever known.

Finding her was complete and total serendipity. She is the embodiment of joy, and she rejoices daily with the way things are. As such, she is a reminder for me to rejoice every day - with the way things are.

Miracles happen every day. She is a continuous reminder of that.