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| “ The Face of Courage: Brave Til the End!” |
“I’m Just Sayin’”
by Alan P. Scaglione
Ever see the face of courage?
Look at it straight in the eyes and know…
That takes courage!
I saw that look today…and I was so proud of my friend.
She was walking around our office, Corporate America, smiling big for all of us to see!
And showing off her new hair-do…short and spiky, but full of pizzazz!
And she looked beautiful!
She stopped by my desk and said she had been wanting to see me but kept missing me.
I almost didn’t recognize her—not used to seeing her hair so short…
But I could never mistake that “million dollar” smile and those “yes Life is good” eyes!
She asked me I liked it? The “IT” being her new hair.
I smiled big and said…”You look beautiful!”
She whispered, “Just got sick of wearing the wig!”
We smiled, we hugged, we shared an unspoken moment of gratitude!
She was showing the world—Cancer took my hair, but it DID NOT TAKE ME!!!
That face of courage, on my friend, was the best thing I saw that day; even today, it makes me smile!
Her story was not unusual. She is a devoted wife and mother, with a beautiful grandson and another on the way.
She and her husband are high school sweethearts who are still in love…all these years later.
In a world where divorce and broken homes are common, she lived the white picket fence life.
And she was always grateful. Never looked down on the rest of us who have had to raise kids from a broken home.
She was just thankful that, she and her family were together, were happy and healthy.
Until she got the call!
We all know that call—it’s when the “Great Indiscriminator” decides to knock on your door—and suddenly, nothing is ever the same!
That’s what I call cancer—the great INdiscriminator—it does NOT discriminate—calls on whomever whenever wherever it chooses.
It says “Tag—you’re It!” and you start the chase to tag it back!
And it takes courage!
In the beginning, my friend “Jean” was afraid she would lose her hair; by the time she had tagged cancer back, she was throwing off her wig—
Who cared about her hair? We didn’t! She didn’t! Her family and friends didn’t!
We just cared that she was here, with us, wig, no wig, just alive…sharing her “million dollar” smile and “so good to be alive” eyes!
But we never discounted or devalued the sheer will AND prayer it took to fight the “good fight”; not give in to that sense of “Why me? Why now?” so many people struggle with.
Not our “Jean”! She kept her eye on the prize…she knew the prize well--- she didn’t want something new… no, she wanted something old!
Jean wanted her “old” life back, and she had the courage to fight for it!
Even if it meant tearing off that wig and wearing her “newgrowth” hair proudly!
It was her “Badge of Courage!”
And she wears it well!
As my friend “Jean” walked away, greeting other colleagues, I was struck with the scripture that came to mind:
“Having done all to stand, STAND therefore!” Ephesians 6:13-14
And there she was…STANDING TALL!
She just caught up to cancer and said, “Tag-Now YOU’RE IT!”
The oldtimers call it a “Made Up Mind!”
Jean made up her mind that the “Great Indiscriminator” was NOT going to take from her what God had given—and she fought for it and WON!
I know, I know… not all have this success or result.
But…for today, let’s just cheer on all of those we know who HAVE WON THE BATTLE and TOOK BACK the one thing they wanted most—THEIR OLD LIFE!
Sometimes, You Gotta STAND!
Wear your “Badge of Courage” proudly!
You earned it!
Until next time,
I’m Just Sayin’…
Brother “A”
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