# 63 And Then She Said...

Gail Tsukiyama

Dear Mary -

Please forgive my delay in getting back to you.  I've been in and out of town during the past few weeks, and I'm only now catching up with my correspondence.  I'm so sorry to hear about what you're going through. But I think it's a wonderful thing for you to have started your blog.  There's nothing more powerful than words. So thank you for your inspiring words to me, that my books have given you comfort.  I'm in the midst of writing a new book, and have been having some difficult days.  It's my eighth book, and I must say, it doesn't get any easier.  Your message to me was a wonderful reminder of why I sit down day after day and keep trying to tell the stories.  I should also tell you that I've never written a blog, and wouldn't know where to begin.  Could I send you a poem, or an essay I've written about books and reading for you to put up?  Because I'm working on a new book, I don't have time to write anything else right now.  But I'd be honored to contribute something.

All best wishes and Happy Thanksgiving -

Gail

My thoughts--This knocked my socks off-- and she has "difficult days" writing her 8th book!  Makes me feel a whole lot better when faced with the occasional writing block on my daily blogging.

Thanks for reading # 63 of 7777.

# 62 Ms. Tsukiyama

Several blogs ago I requested help on blog writing and received several wonderful entries.  Besides posting on this forum, I wrote a personal note to some of my favorite authors to see if they would be interested in submitting a piece.  For the next four days, I will share my email correspondence with one of my best loved authors.  To say I was thrilled to hear from her is a vast understatement (I have also been delighted to hear from all of you so keep writing).


Dear Ms. Tsukiyama,

I am a huge fan of yours and have read and been inspired by your words.  I recently was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer so your books have become more of a comfort than ever before. In fact I have included a quote from one of your books on my blog that helped get me through one more day. I started writing mostly for therapeutic reasons—every day for 7777+ days. mgooze.blogspot.com. It’s a lofty goal both for writing and me hanging on for that long, but I need a break now and asked friends to submit a short entry.  Plus, I will be traveling to India without access to internet and I’d hate to miss a day!  With that said, I am personally inviting you to send in an entry.  It can be as short or as long as you care to make it.  One caveat, it can’t be about me.  I think people are getting tired of hearing me rant about cancer and the lack of funds, etc.  so this can be about anything else—fiction or not. 

No problem if this doesn't work for you—it never hurts to ask--but thanks for considering it.

Best,

Mary Gooze

Tune in tomorrow for her response.

Thanks for reading # 62 of 7777.

# 61 Who Me, Worry?

“Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” 
― Corrie ten Boom

So yesterday I stressed about what I would hear at my monthly oncology visit.  Worry, worry, worry--the first, last and middle names of every cancer patient.  Dr. A. reported my good looking numbers and the plan to maintain the course we began last August.  The hip pain may simply be a chronic symptom and shuffling should be suspended for the time being.  Besides that disappointing or sigh of relief news (remember my love/hate relationship with running?), we will maintain our course and escape to Palm Springs at our regular scheduled time. Sunshine and warm temps--here we come!

  Now on to building my strength and leaving the worries behind knowing that it doesn't do diddily squat to lose sleep over this @*&% disease and besides, I have more blogs to write, mountains to climb and lakes to swim to spend one more second fretting about it.

Thanks for caring and reading # 61 of 7777.

#60 Reality

"There are more things to alarm us than to harm us, and we suffer more often in apprehension than reality."  Lucius Annaeus Seneca

As I prepare for my monthly oncology appointment, no matter how positive or healthy I am feeling, apprehension lies in the frontal lobe of my brain and wiggles with alarm that there might be something else lingering about in my body that decides to make its presence known.  Time to practice my newly learned meditation skills and repeat Lucius's mantra about alarms and harms and reality.  I am okay. I will beat this. I am stronger than this disease. Phew!  Feeling better already. Thanks for listening.

Stay tuned for a health update tomorrow.

Thanks for reading # 60 of 7777.

#59 HO! HO! HO!

A funny thing happened on the way to St. Mary's Care Center.  Rob was kidnapped by elves and transformed into none other than the real SANTA. On his return home after the festivities, he couldn't stop talking about his incredible experience.  Made me wish I could be Santa for a day.  I suggested he write about it so here it is--Santa Rob's first blog.

For 35 years my Rotary club puts on a Bingo party at the St. Mary’s Care Center. Although I’m Jewish, I have been fortunate enough to be Santa and visit the residents who can’t come down to Bingo.  If you ever want to really feel the holiday spirit try handing out gifts to strangers. The look of joy on everyone’s faces and hugs for Santa are like the commercial--priceless--or skip down the halls with a 4 year old holding your hand on either side, singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. But the best was when we finished our rounds, sang a song to all those at Bingo, and then my elves hugged me and said, “I love you, Santa”.

Festively submitted by,
Rob, The Almost Real Santa

Thanks for reading # 59 of 7777.

# 58 Just Swim

"Swimming: From the outside looking in, you can't understand it. From the inside looking out you can't explain it." Author unknown.

The joys of swimming.  I've been paddling through the water since...who knows when the first splash happened; and discovered the thrill of being surrounded in a substance that enabled me to float on the surface or dive into the depths of silence.

Stroke by stroke--lap after lap.  I can't describe the passion for it nor can I explain what motivates me and other swimmers to plunge into the water on any given morning, afternoon or evening to swim back and forth again and again in our confined lanes.  All I know is the serenity gained from the steady repetitive strokes keeps me returning for a temporary distraction from above water worries and an escape into an underwater wonderland of bliss.

The water is your friend.  You don't have to fight with water, just share the same spirit as the water, and it will help you move.
Aleksandr Popov

And move it will. Last August my swim across Lake Washington convinced me that I could move anything blocking my path and I am out to prove it again.  Next March my goal is to swim across a lake in Arizona to continue to raise awareness for metastatic breast cancer and, of course, root out money for research.  In a spirit of camaraderie, I will find another mets sister to swim with me and show the world that we are indeed alive and well and plan to remain that way for years to come.

Thanks for reading # 58 of  7777.

# 57 Mr. Hawking Dancing to Stayin' Alive

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.  It's about learning how to dance in the rain..."
Vivian Greene

Last night I joined a group of friends to see The Theory of Everything, a movie about Stephen Hawking-- the prominent scientist from England.

1. Stephen William Hawking CH CBE FRS FRSA is an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge. Wikipedia

 Ms. Greene's quote (sent by a dear friend) should be tattooed on the brilliant and talented  forehead of Mr. Hawking.  If you haven't heard about this movie or thought about seeing it, my advice is to Go! Go! Go! This man did not simply dance in the rain, he's been boogieing/jazzing/hip hopping for over fifty years while having an outlandishly good time. I'm certain he will not stop until the jukebox is unplugged or the band falls over from exhaustion. Lessons to be learned from a master living in the infamous storm of life.

Thanks for reading # 57 of 7777.