I often come across articles of writing that make we want to hang my writing boots up on the hook to sway back and forth with honourable respect symbolising my humble admiration as I slowly bow my head and back away in awe. This piece that appeared in The New York Times by Julia Baird ‘Was It Cancer? Getting the Diagnosis’ is one of those articles.
Julia Baird is a journalist and an opinion writer and I really can’t express how much her article has spoken to bruised parts of my soul. The parts that feel like misunderstood discoloured fragments that now feel a sense of understanding and a sense of connection woven through the insightful words shared by a complete stranger.
Kelly Exeter from A Life Less Frantic (who is also a stunning writer) shared the link on her Facebook page introducing it as:
Stunning writing from Julia Baird (as always). I’ve read from so many people about how a cancer diagnosis just wipes away all those other things you thought were ‘worries’. Read this to the end because there is an amazing message waiting there.
And yes, there is an amazing message waiting there.
After reading Julia’s words somewhere in-between reaching for the tissues and unlacing my writing boots I tripped over a great big epiphany that smacked me right between the eyes in a manner even the Three Stooges themselves would have been proud of executing; hypothetical stars and all!
This theatrical scene playing out in my head grounded me back into my boots with a not so gentle thud reminding me of my purpose for sharing my own thoughts here on my blog in the first place.
I believe we all have a story… a story of our reflective past, a story of our hopes for the future and a story of our precious present moment.
Through the sharing of our stories I have faith that strength, resilience and hope lie within us all and are nurtured from knowing we are not alone.
The validation of my masked feelings found in the layers of others genuine truths has been a most powerful and welcomed gift of strength to be rivalled as I continue along my obstacled path.
I hope that by sharing pieces of my own story that you may find validating comfort in pieces of your own story.
So the next time you get caught up in the ‘Comparison Trap’ or the ‘I’m not good enough’ story or find yourself thinking ‘Who would want to hear anything I have to say?’ just stop; ask yourself what the end result may have been if the sharer of what has just touched you so profoundly had become buried under the same way of thinking? You wouldn’t have felt anything because the whole sharing experience would never have been created.
I hope you gift yourself five minutes to read Julia’s article and thank you Kelly for initially sharing the link on your page. My friend Emily from Have a laugh on me created a wonderful poster a while back and I think it’s quite fitting to share here in conclusion.
Till next time,
Sandra Xx
Don’t stop sharing – you never know who might benefit from the gift of your vulnerability.
Amen…
Great post! It’s so weird, I REALLY needed to hear something like this right now, so thank you for offering this perspective. It is so easy to feel lost in the online wilderness sometimes, and it can often feel futile. Bugger that. We have to keep sharing anyway x
Thank you for sharing Sandra.
I am slowly getting accustomed to this online business of discovering the writings of others and am enjoying getting to know how to negioiate the place a little more.
Love our friendship and love your amazing ways.
Thank you for my healing ❤️
Lissy xxxx
This is something I have to remind myself EVERY DAY Sandra, there are so many better wordsmiths than I but we all have a story to tell. Love and light to you xx
Great post and so timely- we are all unique so comparison is mostly useless anyway. And Julia’s piece was breathtaking!
And as long as we live we have stories to tell … and we should tell them. Hope you have a beautiful weekend lovely xx
Julia’s article moved me beyond words. Emily totally nailed it, everyone has a story and you never know who needs to hear your words because your words matter!