Journal of a Living Lady #69
Nancy White Kelly
Physically, these last few weeks have been my best in many moons. When you read this column, I will have completed another round of chemotherapy. If the pattern continues as before, for a few days I will feel lower than the knees on a flea. Each subsequent week I will feel a little better until time to repeat the scenario. I have accepted the schedule as part of my routine and have learned to work around it. In fact, I have done some things recently I didn’t think I would ever get to do again.
Last November nobody thought I’d be breathing today, let alone fly fishing with Buddy. Yesterday, as the sun set, Buddy and I stood on the bank of the local pond and threw artificial flies onto the water. It was fun. We both felt like kids again, playfully arguing about who had caught the most or which was the biggest. Before heading home, we released the fish, giving them a fresh chance to be normal. Perhaps they are now a little wiser about jumping at the first thing that comes along.
My cancer journey has made me appreciative of each new day, but certainly less spontaneous than my first fifty-five years. I have always had a pot on each burner and three in the oven. Now, each day as I wake up, I thank the Lord that I can put my feet on the floor. I don’t rush mornings. Can’t actually. But, by noon at the latest, I usually have enough energy to accomplish some things on my “to do” list.
Many have encouraged me to write a book. I have been waiting until I knew the end of this story. Do I live or do I die? If I wait until I am dead, then there will be no book. So, I have decided to write a cliff-hanger. I have a few important obligations that will take my time for a little longer. Then I intend to write. I have a working title for my book: “Grinning While Waving at the Death Angel.”
Little did I realize how much people relate to the ordinary and sometimes extraordinary events shared these past months. To my surprise, my website was recently chosen “Site of the Week” by Homestead.com, thus generating over 1700 hits in the past 10 days. The strangeness of this award is that my new site, complete with music and pictures, was and still is under construction. If you want a peek, the address of the new web site is http://livinglady.homestead.com. Presently all columns are still available at https://www.angelfire.com/bc/nancykelly. I am changing web hosts because of my dislike of commercial banners. They are distracting.
Proverbs 3:6 says, “In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct our paths.” I hereby publicly acknowledge the source of my strength is God and declare emphatically that the reason I am still alive is because of answered prayer. I have been blessed beyond measure with people who care enough to pray. I don’t deserve so much human or divine attention. Who am I among men or women? In passionate gratitude, I am determined to make these extra measure of days meaningful.
Stay tuned for the “rest of the story.”
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