The Week Ahead | Cancer patient organizes run to fight her disease - KansasCity.com

The Week Ahead | Cancer patient organizes run to fight her disease - KansasCity.com

Life

I was thinking of this today and thought I would share it. I love the perspective she has on life.

Life

If I had my life to live over, I’d make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I’d been on this trip. I know of very few things I would take seriously. I would climb more mountains, swim more rivers and watch more sunsets. I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans! I would watch less TV and have more picnics.

I would have only actual trouble and very few imaginary ones. I would feel sad, not depressed. I would be concerned, not anxious. I would feel annoyed, not angry. I would regret my mistakes but not spend a lot of time feeling guilty about them.

I would tell more people that I liked them. I would touch my friends. I would forgive others for being human and I would hold no grudges.

I would grow with more children and listen to more old people. I would go after what I wanted without believing that I needed it and I wouldn’t place such a great value on money.

You see, I’m one of those people who lived cautiously, sensibly, sanely, hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I’ve had my moments and if I had it to do over again, I’d have a lot more of them. In fact, I’d have nothing else . . . . just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. I have been one of those people who never went anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute.

If I had it to do over again, I would plant more seeds and make the world more beautiful. I would express my feelings without fear.

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefooted earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would ride on more merry-go-rounds. I’d pick more daisies and I would smile because I would be living free.

Nadine Stahr (at age 85)
Louisville, Kentucky

Check this out

As our Relay For Life event is now only six days away, I thought I would share this story that I ran across about a woman from the U.K. Amazing...

Jane Tomlinson's story

Breast Cancer Affects So Many

After coming back to work, I learned just how common breast cancer really is. I had no idea how many people are affected by it. The teacher that teaches next door to me has a mother who is a 1o year breast cancer survivor. The next closest person in proximity to my room has a sister-in-law and close friend who are dealing with breast cancer. Of the six people on my teaching team, half of them have parents dealing with some type of cancer. In addition to that, we have one teacher on the faculty and a school secretary who have been diagnosed with breast cancer over the past two years. The empathy that they've shown to me since coming back to work has been so supportive. It's really made a difference for me. And I'll never forget it.

Advice from an ancestor

My Dad gave me a piece of advice that he had gotten from his Grandpa Poppe, "in tough times, stay busy. Get your work done. It will take your mind off things for a while." This advice that my great grandfather gave was surely something that he had had much practice using, as he had 17 children but lost four at a very young age. He also lost a brother at a young age. Those were tough times. I think this advice speaks toward the German heritage in the Poppe family. When tough times come your way, you keep moving. It doesn't mean that you avoid dealing with tough situations. But you don't let it break your spirit. You don't let it defeat you.

And so that is what Tracy and I did. We made that "to do" list on the 30th. We spent time with family. We spent time with friends. Tracy, her sister Laura, and her Mom made a visit to the Wilbur area to visit Tracy's friend Amy and her son, Grant. And they had a great time! Looking back on that week, I wouldn't have wanted to do it any other way.

I thank my Dad for sharing stories and advice that he had received from his own Dad, uncles and grandparents. It's pretty amazing to think about it, but shortly after Tracy was diagnosed, I was able to get some advice from my great grandfather, a man whom I never met.