A Poem

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. JoJo reminded me that the Susan G. Komen foundation was established because her sister promised that Susan would never be forgotten. To those women who fight the battle of Breast Cancer, I honor you: your courage, fight, and inspiration, your life. You are not forgotten.

"After a While"

by Veronica Shoffstall

After a while you learn

the subtle difference between

holding a hand and chaining a soul

and you learn

that love doesn't mean security.

And you being to learn that kisses aren't contracts

and presents aren't promises

and you being to accept your defeats

with you head up and your eyes ahead

with the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child

and you learn

to build all your roads on today

because tomorrow's ground is

too uncertain for plans

and futures have a way of falling down

in mid-flight.

After awhile you learn

that even sunshine burns

if you get too much

so you plant your own garden

and decorate your own soul

instead of waiting for someone

to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure,

you really are strong

and you really do have worth

and you learn

and you learn

with every goodbye, you learn...

I read Ice Bound last month. It's written by Dr. Jerri Nielsen, who ventures to Antarctica for its 9-month winter to serve as the resident doctor for the "polies." She finds a lump in her breast. She endures many difficulties, including self-biopsies, and struggles with a diagnosis that was (then) a death sentence - Breast Cancer. In her book Dr. Nielsen includes this poem that was given to her by her Doctor in Indiana (the polies had Friday night poetry readings; Dr. Nielsen's doctor shared this poem during one of those readings {via satellite communication}).