Cancer is a GIFT?

What? Really?! Does this statement make you feel scared? Ready to run away? Do you think I am nuts?  Before I tell you more about cancer being a gift, let's talk about another season when you get lots of 'normal' gifts, Christmas. 

The festive season is around the corner, and with my family and friends, we always exchange Christmas gifts. We have a tradition where everyone has a chance to draw a gift out of the Santa sack, not knowing what it is - whether you like or dislike it, the gift is yours. 

If you don't like it, you may secretly put the gift aside in some forgotten corner of your house. The other politically incorrect, yet acceptable option, is to check what gift your friends got and negotiate a swap. Let's be clear though; you may swap a gift once, at a stretch twice in your lifetime, but never more than that.

I drew a surprise early Christmas gift at the end of March 2019. A gift no one would choose to have nor anyone was willing to negotiate a swap to have. A gift so surprising in its devastation as it was in its empowerment. You guessed it; my gift was cancer.

Quick tip -  If you never experience cancer and its treatment process, you dare not shout out this fucking scary statement "Cancer is a GIFT!". People will think you are insane. 

In the past seven months, I have undergone chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, nicknamed a 'full set meal'. The appetizer is a shocking jolt of overwhelm and newness, followed closely by main dishes of chemotherapy and surgery, and topped with a desert of radiotherapy. My view on fine dining has undoubtedly changed.

I dined with my gift and what a life changing experience it was.

 Cancer reset my life.

It gave me a chance to live in the present and truly embrace who I am, at a deep, deep level. Real, raw, without the protective layers and the masks that I had previously used to project a perfect version of myself out to the world.  

A friend of mine said: 'Cherry, you are lucky that the universe has given you a second chance to feel your body, feel inner peace, and get back your life – an authentic life'. I had been gifted a second chance.

If things don't go as expected, we feel depressed, even hatred. We want to control every single thing in our life. Complaining about traffic jams, rain and queues and seeking attention, love, success, money. We want, want, want, always wanting to control and looking for more while longing to feed our need for things outside of ourselves. 

Cancer gifted me back my life. It has brought me an inner peace I have never known before. A place that thrives without wanting or controlling. Simply being. Pure. Grateful. Knowing. I see things from a different perspective now.

How do you see things?  What I have learned (with or preferably without cancer) you always have a choice to see things differently. There is no good or bad; things do not happen to you; things happen for you. For you to embrace yourself and learn fully, love yourself fully as the imperfect perfect person you are, and to embrace yourself to live out your life fully.

As I continue to live my life fully, cancer-free, I am combining my new perspective with my passion for coaching, mindfulness, meditation, focusing and reiki to life a victim-free life and empower others to awaken and find their authentic voice and self.  I will be sharing more of my thoughts, insights and suggestions on this blog and hope I can help you to find a new perspective too.