At least for me.
My cancer was discovered already in Stage Four, back in 2003. But I had had my shot at life, so it didn't really hit me that hard. Which surprised me a bit. I thought, "Okay. It could be a lot worse. I've had more than four decades on this earth, and if it's my time to go, so be it." I wasn't quite "whatever." But I was definitely resigned to it all. Yeah, I got angry about the whole thing, but not really because I thought it was "unfair" or "wrong" or a terrible tragedy or anything. I was mad mostly about the hassle of it all, and the heartache it was already giving my family. I didn't want any of that for them. And it was and still is very, very pricey.
But young people are different. They haven't had their shot yet. They haven't had their chance at most things in life -- Graduation Day and first real loves; going off to college (or trade school) and the discovery of new worlds; the freedom and exhilaration of driving with the windows down, the music up; showing your loved one(s) your favorite places, etc. etc. They haven't yet had enough life experience or education to appreciate travel, even though they do light up with this or that sight. It's not deepened yet. It's not supported by the generations yet.
They haven't had their shot. So for them it
is unfair, wrong -- profoundly wrong. In a cosmic as well as an every day sense. That
does bring me to despair, seeing that. Seeing young lives burdened like that.
It's heart-breaking to see anyone suffer. The young, the middle, the old. People we don't know and do. It's toughest when it's family, then friends, then moving out from our 150 and beyond. But with the old -- I've lost pretty much every single member of my family in my parents' generation -- there is the sense that they've had their time. My father died of ALS, and it took nearly two years, and was horrible. But even he, in the midst of it all, would despair at the thought of the young suffering. He, too, thought he had had his day in the sun.
James, my sincerest condolences. Please let your niece know there are people out there she doesn't even know who are pulling for her.
