On 01.02.02, I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Too late for surgery, I had chemotherapy, which failed. In May the chemotherapy was changed and I was soon in remission which was celebrated and welcome and lasted nine years - until October 2011. There was progression in 2011 so more treatment was indicated and I am now back in partial remission. But I'm not only a cancer patient - I also enjoy my family, walk my dogs and am learning to draw and paint. Life is good!

Showing posts with label THE ART OF MENDING. Show all posts
Showing posts with label THE ART OF MENDING. Show all posts

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Read or draw???

The other thing that happened a couple days ago when I was dusting bookshelves was that I was reminded how much I like to read, how many books I own that are unread and how behind I am on my 2008 resolution to complete one book each week. It's an annual goal, not always reached, but one I could attain if I dug in and committed to it and one I have surpassed several times in big reading years.


And then I went into a tailspin about how many other resolutions aren't even close to the 7th month mark. I need to step to a faster drummer if I am going to journey to the end of this year with a sense of accomplishment, a year well lived and all that. Oh dear, I sleep too much, I watch too much telly, I daydream, I futz around.... (and isn't that true for many of us?)

I did complete one book last night, THE ART OF MENDING, by one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Berg. In this case, fabric and sewing is the metaphor for mending relationships -- and the ones in this book reminded me of Scott Peck's book of diabolical parents in PEOPLE OF THE LIE (I'd like to re-read that one now too). Broken parents, narcissistic parenting -- some folks just get the dregs when it comes to what they need to grow up whole and sane in this world.

On the fun side -- a friend asked me to dog-sit her two retrievers for 24 hours and OF COURSE I said yes -- she took all three of mine for two entire weeks while we romped around Ireland. So for this short while Steve and I have FIVE dogs (four black, one yellow) and they're probably all distant cousins of one another since they all came from Canine Companions for Independence. And they are: Elektra (love that name), Violetta, Brix, Demi and Parisse. I cannot tell you how much these animals have contributed to my life .... even if caring for them and loving them means I don't read and draw as much as maybe I think I should!

Related Posts with Thumbnails