Some cancer survivors are good at getting on with life. Some of us remain timid about the prospect of life, even when a prognosis is good. A new year is a good time to try harder to seize the day, whatever the future is likely to bring.
PUBLISHED January 02, 2018
Felicia Mitchell is a poet and writer who makes her home in southwestern Virginia, where she teaches at Emory & Henry College. She was diagnosed with Stage 2b HER2-positive breast cancer in 2010. Website: www.feliciamitchell.net
Some cancer survivors seize the day with gusto. Others tread lightly. I call the latter the “Deer Effect.” Think of a deer caught in the headlights of a car, frozen and confused about which way to turn.Where I live, there are many deer. I know which curves invite us to slow down, especially at certain times of the day. I drive with deer whistles on the grill of my car. I trust that they work. As likely, they are a symbol of how cautious I am.
Just as I have dealt with cancer, many of my friends have dealt with scary deer incidents, but they keep driving, without fear. Many of my friends surviving cancer forge ahead as well. If only I could seize the day, without fear. Stress is not healthy.
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