The Friends of the Bald Woman calendar project is coming to a close soon and I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to connect with these 11 other ladies. I go to these shoots week after week and every time am humbled and in awe of the spirit that surrounds these women. They are our moms, daughters, wives, and friends. I have seen strength and hope in these women that is unmatched in every day life. I don't think anyone plans to be strong but when in the situation that calls for it you have two choices....do it, or don't. these ladies did it for sure. They are funny, they are kind, and they are thankful for what they have. I am so pleased that the support for our calendar has grown. This whole project started with a Bald Lady photo shoot with my favorite photographer friend. She produced the most true pictures of myself that I have seen to this day and I wanted everyone in that situation to have the opportunity to feel their inner beauty too.
Many people ask me why I do this (Friends of the Bald Woman). There is no pay, countless hours of planning, few thanks, and constantly feeling at the mercy of other people's pocket books. It is hard, it is time consuming, it brings sleepless nights and tears, and yet...this is the most rewarding thing I have ever done! I can sum up why I do what I do into one reason....I do this because it brings a smile! That may appear simple to those reading, and guess what it is. I just simply want people to smile more. It may be from receiving one of our support services. It may be from one of my OH SO FUNNY blog posts. It may be giving people a way to give a bit of themselves to others. It may come in many different ways but the bottom line for me is that smiles are contagious. They are infections and it is one thing we don't do enough of. Not to say you can't take anything seriously, but really we are here for an unknown time and so is everyone else here...Why waste our time here being full of all the negative stuff?? I think it is time for one of my famous lists.....
What Cancer took from me
1. My chances of becoming a Playboy model (oh wait, my kids did that!)
2. My hair (that I really didn't like that much to begin with)
3. My fame and fortune (wait, again no fortune to take and I have more fame post- cancer than any high school soccer game ever gave me)
4. My time (always want more and less, always want it to hurry up and slow down)
5. My brain (well at least the ability to remember anything...including anything else that it took from me!!)
What I took from Cancer:
1. FREE meals, house cleaning, wigs, and weekly massages
2. Great stories that go with each scar on my body
3. Better Perspective on life
4. FAME (Newspapers, TV spots, name on a famous car, wow! still waiting on the fortune part!!!)
5. The ability to get out of basically anything with my "cancer card" for the rest of my life. (I would never do that though....or would I????)
6. MY LIFE! (I never let this evil beast take my life or my spirit and for that I am the most grateful!!)
Well that is all she wrote for today ladies and gents! Today's challenge is to make ONE person truly smile today! That is it only ONE! Tell them to pass it on though and we will see how long we can keep the smile going! Smiles are free and can make the day of someone so change the world today folks!! Make your day a great one!
The Diary of the Bald Woman
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Life as I know it...
Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.
Grandma Moses
Today is a very special day for me. Today is my daughters 4th birthday and my first ever "cancer"versary. I can't believe it has been a year since I walked out of the doors of our treatment center. This year by far has been more difficult than the previous years cancer battle. The cancer battle is difficult. It involves being physically sick A LOT and feeling like you are climbing the biggest mountain in the world barefoot and with no coat! This last year, however, was more mental. I felt as if I made it to the top of this mountain and saw the most amazing view of my life and then had to go down the other side and go back to reality. It didn't work anymore. The cheerleaders that I once had cheering me on were replaced with bill collectors. The doctors asking me how I was doing EVERYDAY just stopped. The finish line of the big race had come and gone and I was there alone to process what had just happened. It was difficult to drop back into the life that once worked for me.
My life now is far from perfect but it is perfect for me! We spend so much time thinking that the grass is greener somewhere else but to tell you the truth I am having too much fun to care if mine is yellow, too tall, or dead. I live each day differently and I am forever thankful for the things that have changed me and made me happier. who would have thought that an ugly thing like cancer would turn out to be such a positive thing and if that is the case my little everyday difficulties seem a lot smaller to me! Life is great for me because I say it is...that is it. No big secret involved. it is what I make of it! I can CHOOSE to focus on all that is wrong or I can CHOOSE to learn from that and be thankful for what I do have!
Life as I know it changed on Dec 23, 2009 but I am still here and that is all that matters!
Make today count because you never know when your clock is up!!
Grandma Moses
Today is a very special day for me. Today is my daughters 4th birthday and my first ever "cancer"versary. I can't believe it has been a year since I walked out of the doors of our treatment center. This year by far has been more difficult than the previous years cancer battle. The cancer battle is difficult. It involves being physically sick A LOT and feeling like you are climbing the biggest mountain in the world barefoot and with no coat! This last year, however, was more mental. I felt as if I made it to the top of this mountain and saw the most amazing view of my life and then had to go down the other side and go back to reality. It didn't work anymore. The cheerleaders that I once had cheering me on were replaced with bill collectors. The doctors asking me how I was doing EVERYDAY just stopped. The finish line of the big race had come and gone and I was there alone to process what had just happened. It was difficult to drop back into the life that once worked for me.
My life now is far from perfect but it is perfect for me! We spend so much time thinking that the grass is greener somewhere else but to tell you the truth I am having too much fun to care if mine is yellow, too tall, or dead. I live each day differently and I am forever thankful for the things that have changed me and made me happier. who would have thought that an ugly thing like cancer would turn out to be such a positive thing and if that is the case my little everyday difficulties seem a lot smaller to me! Life is great for me because I say it is...that is it. No big secret involved. it is what I make of it! I can CHOOSE to focus on all that is wrong or I can CHOOSE to learn from that and be thankful for what I do have!
Life as I know it changed on Dec 23, 2009 but I am still here and that is all that matters!
Make today count because you never know when your clock is up!!
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