A World Full of Heartache and Hope
World Full of Heartache and Hope
Dear Grandchildren,
It’s been awhile since I have written. I never stop thinking about you but sometimes life gets in the way of my writing.
I can not believe it is October. When you get as old as Nana and Poppa it feels like time flies by faster than a dog chasing a rabbit.
This letter is about heartache and hope, both have been around a long time. At some point in your life you will experience heartache but my hope for you is that you will know how to fight through it with God’s help and the help of your parents and friends.
Once Upon a Time
When I was younger I was a high school history teacher so I tend to think in terms of what historians will say one day about this decade. They will certainly have a lot of material to write about. The conflict between Israel and Palestine. Hurricane Helene and the devastation it created in Florida, Tennessee and North Carolina. Just looking at the pictures online makes my heart hurt. Thousands without power, water, and food. They have lost their homes and in some cases, family members. I have no doubt that Helene will go down in history as one of the worst hurricanes to his the United States.
I have had to stop watching the news because it focuses too heavily on the heartaches of the world and not enough on hope through unity and faith.
October is breast cancer awareness month.
I sure hope that by the time you are an adult there will be a cure for cancer but at this moment in time I’m not sure it will happen for many more decades. There have been advances in cancer treatments, and I’m thankful for that, but cancer is still one of the most evil and devastating diseases in the world.
My best friend, Martha, died from complications from breast cancer ten years ago this month. There has not been one day in the last ten years I have not thought of her. I want to share some memories of her here that I hope you will take the time to read. She was such an amazing person and fought so hard. You can read them here and here .
My mom died of colon cancer at the age of 51 and so I strongly believe in being tested for that as well, especially if you have a history of it in your family.
But this IS October and as long as I can remember it’s been the month to focus on breast cancer awareness. I have other friends who are still fighting breast cancer and I have some friends (I won’t tell on you but PLEASE take care of yourself) who don’t get routine mammograms or colon cancer screenings.
Consider this a reminder from me….It’s important to make sure the people we love take care of themselves. So, dear grandchildren, remind your parents and have them remind their friends to get regular health checkups. Sometimes grownups get so busy taking care of their children that they don’t remember to take care of themselves. A little reminder from you will go a long way!
In honor of Martha I’m sharing this again.
This is a video I did for Martha after we found out her cancer had returned. I wanted to cheer her up and I lived in Kentucky and she lived in Florida. With my husband’s and daughter’s help we created something to hopefully make her laugh….and she did. We watched it together over the years….until her death.
She was such a good, kind person. Her legacy lives on through her children and grandchildren.
Having close friends is one of The Best Blessings of Life. If you want to read about innovations in cancer research just click here.
Grandchildren Blessings
Now for some happy news….Not long ago we learned that we will be grandparents again in January and again in April. That will make 10 grandchildren! We are so excited!
Children and grandchildren are what give us hope for a better world and a better tomorrow.
Poppa and I pray for you and your parents daily. We love you dearly and hope one day we can all meet in Heaven for a happy family reunion. You are some of our greatest blessings and you give us HOPE!
Love, Nana
