This one is short and sweet. Very sweet. I decided what the heck, live your life right now. Do what you have to do to prepare then let it go. And enjoy the time you have left. No one ever knows how much time that is. So I breathed deeply, let the sun shine on me, went to a movie, reread all the books I ever wanted to. I’m a real reader, I dearly love my books. I reread Tony Hillerman from the first book to the last. I rented funny movies. Laughter relaxes the linings of your arteries, lowers your blood pressure, allows you to just be easy. I used to love Frasier so I rented the old series from the library and watched one after another. Then I watched Monk. Then I morphed to Laurel and Hardy, then the Marx Brothers, then old Cosby standups. Foul Play and A Fish Called Wanda were on a revolving schedule. Laughing, not worrying, just enjoying and laughing. I would go the the beach as often as I could. I had fun with my friends. I remember thinking, after the diagnosis, well at least I don’t have to worry about my retirement anymore. I had been so worried that I didn’t have enough saved and I would lie awake wondering what the future held. Well, at this juncture, I thought I knew – I’d have plenty for the year I was given. What a relief! I’d had melanoma at one point and had been cautioned to stay out of the sun. Then I got this diagnosis and thought who cares? Threw away my hat and got out in the sun. There is life to be lived, as long as it’s there. I suspect that being positive in this way, laughing and loving was good medicine.
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