MONDAY MOTIVATION - Pass It On

I'm sure I've shared this with you before, but I wanted to again point out a breast cancer blog that I love - Breast Cancer Sisterhood. Each and every Monday, I get an email from Brenda Coffee, the owner of the blog, because I'm lucky enough to be on her mailing list. I read each one of her weekly posts, and I've learned so much from her experiences. This morning's post hit me right between the eyes, because it's something I've been thinking long and hard about recently. The post is called "Breast Cancer and Survival - Pass It On". Brenda talks about the importance of helping other people through their cancer journeys - as both a fellow survivor and a caregiver.

Helping to start this group called Sister Survivors has been one of the hardest, most challenging, and yet most rewarding things I've ever done. Yes, there have been times when I wish I wouldn't have felt the need to continue being close to that thing I hate so much - breast cancer. I don't mind admitting that I wish sometimes that I could walk away from it, and just be finished. But, I can't. I'll let you in on a secret I don't tell many people - I'm doing this because I promised God I would. I did. When I was right in the thick of things - treatments, surgeries, etc. - I recognized that there were just too many miracles happening to ignore the fact that I was receiving divine help through a terrible ordeal. And, I promised Him that after I was through - and I felt well enough - I would devote my time to helping other women who would struggle through this disease. So, even though it's been tough, I'm not going to back down. It's personal for me. I sincerely want to help. I enjoy it.

I hope Brenda won't mind if I share part of the last paragraph of her post here...

She says: "I believe every one who’s experienced pain and loss has a responsibility to help those around them in need. You may not feel like it, and you don’t have to take it on as an Olympic challenge, but I promise, it will be one of the most therapeutic things you can do for yourself and for someone else. We need one another in order to survive this life, so take what you’ve learned, a little or a lot, and pay it forward."

I believe every word of that. I believe that we should all take the experiences we've had, and share our knowledge with others who need it. I truly believe that the words DUTY and RESPONSIBILITY apply directly here. I hope that when you are feeling better - when you feel you can help, even just a little bit - you'll take the opportunity to do it. Because Brenda is right - it is one of the most therapeutic things you can do for yourself and someone else.

If you'd like to read the rest of Brenda's post today (I encourage you to), just click HERE, and you'll be redirected to her blog.

Make today a great day!
-Kara