Two Sisters, One Promise

I've been on Facebook for the last day or two, catching up with old friends and really having a good time. This afternoon, however, was bittersweet, as I finally connected with someone I had wanted to find for many years-someone that I consider a sister, and *that* was wonderful, but then the happiness turned to anger and sadness. My friend is fighting breast cancer. I have no doubt that she will win this battle, but her story brings it home to me that I haven't been a good friend. I am angry because good people, the best people, keep getting cancer, and the rest of us are left with the struggle to make sense of it all. I am sad because I know I have failed her, and others, as a friend. My mother always says "to have a friend is to be a friend" and I just haven't been there for my friends the way I should have been. Some of you are reading this now and thinking to yourselves, 'yup, that's right man, she ain't called me in YEARS'. I can't defend myself as I know I'm a slacker. Apologies are meaningless in the face of pain. Perhaps there is a part of me that feels like I don't deserve good friends, and I DO have good friends that have been there for me in both good times and bad.

Cancer changes people. Of course it changes the person who gets it, but it also changes everyone else, too. Skyguy was lucky to have a type of cancer that is curable, and we knew that going in, but still, it is hard to block out all the 'what ifs' that the word cancer spawns in loved ones. Even now, over a year later, I am still 'what iffing' about our relationship. That's probably a good thing as it keeps the feelings fresh so they motivate me to act in a constructive way, a way that improves our relationship.

So, what I can do now, what I will do now, right now, is to try to be a better friend to my friends. They deserve that, and more. In today's world of connectivity, I can do better than I have done in the past.

The pink is in your honor, Caterpillar. I love you and so do a bazillion other people, because you are a special human being. You walk the walk.

Speaking of walking, I will take this moment to encourage everyone to learn more about breast cancer at Susan G. Komen for the Cure: http://ww5.komen.org/
If you can, while you are there on the site, donate some money or sign up for a race or walk for charity.
If pink isn't your color, that is, if you are a man, please learn more about testicular cancer from the Lance Armstrong foundation: http://livestrong.org/
Livestrong.Org is dedicated to fighting all types of cancer because

Unity is strength, knowledge is power and attitude is everything